The Last Misérables
by JackieStarSister
Summary: Based on "Les Misérables," the ATLA characters struggle for redemption and revolution. Rated T for sexual harassment, warfare, and suicide. Warning: character deaths. HakodaXKya, Zutara, Maiko, Taang. *Cover art from the AvatarSpirit website.* See Chapter 1 for POSSIBLE RENOVATION
1. Author

Dear reader,

I haven't touched this story since I finished it two years ago. I wrote this story after seeing the musical _Les Misérables_, but before reading the book by Victor Hugo and seeing the anime series by World Masterpiece Theatre. Now that I've done that, I know how much deeper and more complex the story can be. I know that if I were to write this story now, it would be better quality, not only because I know _Les Misérables_ better, but also because my writing has improved over the last two years.

So, I'm considering editing/re-writing this story, and maybe adding some new chapters, in order to improve the quality and make the story more true to its source material. For example, I could include Kya (Fantine)'s relationship with Hakoda (Felix), and show her leaving Katara (Cosette) at the inn, and bring Xu (Fauchelevent) back for the secret burial escapade.

Whether you are one of the people who read this back when I wrote it, or are reading it now for the first time, please let me know what you think. Is "The Last Misérables" all right the way it is, or could it be better, more detailed?

With best wishes and sincerest thanks,  
>JackieStarSister<p> 


	2. Cast

_Published May 6, 2011. Updated January 18, 2012._

Cast

Jean Valjean: Sokka (A.K.A. Lee, Kuzon)

Javert: Long Feng

Farmer: Gensu

The Bishop of Digne: Iroh

Gossiping factory girl: Jun

Fantine: Kya

Félix Tholomyès: Hakoda

Bamatabois: Zhao

Fauchelevant: Xu

Sister Simplice: Yugoda

Champmathieu: Actor Sokka

Cosette: Katara

The Thernadiers: Ozai and Azula

Eponine: Mai

Marius: Zuko

General Lamarque: Earth King Kuei

Enjolras: Jet and Lu Ten

Friends of the ABC: The Freedom Fighters

Gavroche: Aang, Toph, The Duke

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This is mostly based on the musical _Les Misérables_, but I have also used some dialogue and bits of inspiration from the original novel as well as the movie and the anime cartoon series. I will include disclaimers and try to differentiate when I use one of these sources, or add in my own twists to the story.

_Les Misérables_ is a multi-faceted story. Really it is several different stories all intertwined. It was confusing for me when I saw the musical, because there are some time gaps when several years are supposed to have passed, and some characters are disguised as other people, et cetera. I'll try my best to clearly explain the characters, situation, and events. You do not need to have seen the musical or read the book _Les Misérables_ in order to understand this story. But if you have, you will have a better idea of what will happen later on, and how things correspond in this fan fiction and in the original story.

You can see a collage I made as a sort of cover art for this story on my DeviantArt page, under the category "Avatar collages."


	3. Prologue: Freedom and Forgiveness

_Published May 6, 2011. Updated December 15, 2011._

**Author's Note:** Gensu is the farmer from "Zuko Alone."

* * *

><p>"Bring me prisoner 24601," Long Feng commanded.<p>

The Dai Li agent bowed and left the luxurious office. He found Prisoner 24601 toiling on the metal prison with the other criminals. Two other convicts he had become familiar with, Haru and Chit Sang, shot 24601 fleeting looks of sympathy, before turning their heads down again.

Prisoner 24601 followed the Dai Li agent warily, hoping he wasn't in trouble. Or maybe … but he wouldn't let himself hope. He had held on to hope for the first several years, but the pain of working on the chain gang had eroded his hope to the point that he couldn't see anything ahead of him but more days of brutal labor and beatings.

Prisoner 24601 hadn't been in the warden's office since the day he first came to the Earth Kingdom prison. Entering now with the Dai Li agent, he saw it was just as he had remembered: sparse, but far more luxurious than anything he had seen in his nineteen years of custody. Long Feng stood up behind his desk and looked at Prisoner 24601, surveying his filthy prison uniform and matted, overgrown hair.

"Your time is up," Long Feng told the young man. "Your parole begins today. You know what that means?"

Prisoner 24601gasped in disbelief. "It means I'm free!" Could it be? Was he really going to leave the prison?

"NO!" Long Feng slammed his fist on the table. "It means you get your yellow scroll-of-leave." He handed the scroll to 24601 with a look of contempt. "You are a thief."

"I stole a bag of rice!" Prisoner 24601 protested.

"You robbed a house!"

"I broke a window with my boomerang! We were starving – my friend's child was close to death!"

"And you will starve again," Long Feng said indifferently, "unless you learn the meaning of the law."

"I know the meaning of these nineteen years, a slave of the law," Prisoner 24601 said sarcastically.

"Only the first five years were for your robbery; the rest were for trying to escape. If you had cooperated, 24601 –"

"My name is Sokka of the Water Tribe!" the prisoner interjected. He detested the number that had replaced his name, degrading his dignity and robbing him of his identity.

"And I am Long Feng, Head of the Dai Li!" the officer retorted. "Do not forget my name. Do not forget me, 24601!" With that final threat, Long Feng waved his hand, and the Dai Li agent led Sokka of the Water Tribe out of the room.

* * *

><p>Leaving the prison, Sokka felt like he was being born again. Everything came rushing to him: the fresh air, free of soot and the smell of too many dirty bodies; the feeling of dirt, instead of metal, under his feet; the sweet splash of water as he ran through a pond; the fleeting burst of energy as he found he had enough room to run, though at his own pace, without anyone chasing him.<p>

But his freedom was marred by the piece of parchment he was forced to carry. Sokka looked at the scroll with disgust. The Dai Li would not let him forget. Then again, he could never forget those nineteen years of his life that he had wasted. Nor would he forgive them, for what they did to him. They were guilty, every one of them …

But Sokka had other things to think about now. He may be free, and his heart rejoiced for that, but his mind was practical and anxious. He needed food, and a place to stay … and to do that, he would need money. He didn't dare try stealing again, especially on his very first day of parole.

Sokka found work on a farm. It was hard work, not unlike the labor at the prison, but Sokka took pleasure in the fact that he was doing this work by choice. At the end of the day Sokka waited eagerly as the farmer, Gensu, paid each of the workers. Each person received six copper pieces for the day's work. But when Gensu came to Sokka, he received only three copper pieces.

"You've given me half what the other men got!" Sokka cried indignantly.

"You broke the law," Gensu harrumphed. "It's there for people to see." He nodded at the number tattooed on Sokka's chest – his prison rags were ripped so that part of his chest was exposed.

"Why should you get the same as honest men like us?" one of the laborers added.

Sokka felt anger bubbling inside him as he stormed away from the farm. Of course, it wasn't enough that the Dai Li had wasted nineteen years of his life; they also had to leave a stain on his future. That was the law!

Sokka wandered back to the nearby town and found a house with a canopy overhanging in the front. That would have to do for his shelter. No blankets, nothing but the scant clothes from the prison. He curled up against the wall of the building. He was just getting settled when he heard the door open. Sokka looked up and saw an old man, a Fire Sage, exit the house. Sokka scrambled to his feet, expecting the Sage to shout at him and chase him away.

But the Fire Sage looked at him with kindness. "Good evening," he said. "Would you like to come in? I can see you are tired, and the night is cold."

Sokka stared at the old man for a moment, before giving in. He followed the man into the house. It was a well-lit one-room cottage. What little furniture there was, was fine and gilded.

"My name is Iroh," the Fire Sage said. "May I ask who you are?"

"Sokka of the Water Tribe." It felt good to say his name. The Sage – Iroh – was treating him like a fellow human being, not some criminal scum.

"Please, have a seat. I have food and tea, and a bed for you to rest till morning."

Sokka couldn't remember the last time he had been so warm and comfortable, had tea so hot. Iroh found a change of clothes for him, and made up the bed with clean sheets and even a pillow. Sokka was still devouring his meal when the sage bade him good-night and went to his own bed, and soon fell asleep.

Sokka was still in awe at his surroundings, and at the Sage's hospitality. Iroh trusted a stranger, a criminal, enough to let him into his house full of expensive items. What a fool! Sokka traced the dragon design on the porcelain teapot. It would have cost twice what he had earned in all his nineteen years at the prison. How much food would that buy him? How long could he live on the money that this teapot would cost?

Sokka allowed himself to sleep for a few hours; the first time in two decades that he'd had such a comfortable bed! But he awoke before dawn, and while the Sage Iroh was still sleeping, Sokka took the porcelain teapot from the table and silently left the house.

He hurried down the street, wanting to put as much distance between himself and the Sage's house. But at the corner he heard someone shout, "Halt!" Sokka did the exact opposite, and took off at a run. "After him!" He heard two pairs of feet chasing after him. Suddenly a wall of earth shot up out from the ground in front of Sokka, forcing him to skid to a stop, almost dropping the teapot. The two Dai Li agents seized him and demanded an explanation for why he was out so late, dressed in rags, carrying an expensive teapot.

"A Fire Sage gave me this teapot!" Sokka cried. He knew he was walking on thin ice – most likely Iroh would simply offer the Dai Li agents further testimony that he was a criminal.

The two earthbenders dragged him down the street back to the Fire Sage's house. Iroh greeted them at the door. "Good evening, gentlemen – or is it morning, now?" He chuckled. "What can I do for you?"

"Tell His Holiness your story," one of the Dai Li agents said, shoving Sokka forward. The other held out the teapot they had confiscated from Sokka. "You were the honest Sage's guest last night, and when he heard of your plight, you claim, he gave you this porcelain as a gift?"

"That is right," Iroh said amiably. Sokka stared at him in awe and surprise. But Iroh surprised him further, for he continued, "But you left so early, my friend, I believe you forgot that I gave you these also." He went into the back of the room for a moment and returned with two silver candlesticks. He held them out for Sokka, who took them in his hands, trembling slightly, a puzzled expression on his face. Iroh addressed the Dai Li agents. "So, my good men, you may release him, for he has done me no wrong. I commend you for your duty. Go in peace."

The Dai Li agents bowed and walked away, leaving Sokka alone with Iroh.

Sokka opened his mouth, but found he did not know what to say. Iroh held up his hand to silence him. "Remember this, my brother," he said seriously. "See in this some high plan. I have bought your soul for the spirits; they have blessed you and raised you out of darkness. Now, you must use this porcelain and silver to become an honest man." Iroh raised his hand in a blessing. "May the spirits watch over you, and guide you along the right path. Go in peace."

Sokka stared at the old man only a moment longer. Then he did the only thing that seemed appropriate, which was to bow to the wise Sage. It was the best thanks he could give – not only for saving him from more years in prison, but for giving him the financial means to support himself.

Sokka was still in a state of slight shock as he walked away from the Sage's house. His head spinning, he sat down in a doorway in a neighborhood a block away.

What had he done? He had been degraded to a thief in the night. There was no feeling left in him except the cry of his hatred, the cries in the dark that nobody heard.

If there was another way for Sokka to go, he had missed it twenty years before. His life of poverty had been a war that could never be won. They gave him a number and murdered Sokka of the Water Tribe. Yet Iroh had treated him like any other, given him his trust, claimed his life for the spirits. Could there be such things? Sokka had never had much faith in spirits; he had come to hate the world, a world that hated him. His policy had been to take an eye for an eye, turn your heart into stone.

Upon reflection, Sokka realized that when Iroh had answered the Dai Li agents, he had held Sokka's fate in his hands. One word from him and Sokka could have been back under the whip at the prison. Instead he offered Sokka forgiveness, freedom, and redemption. Sokka held his head in his hands, feeling shame pierce him like a knife. Iroh had told him that he had a soul. How did he know? Were the spirits really trying to move his life, to turn him around? Was there another way to go? Sokka felt as though he was reaching, as he always had, only to fall. Poverty, pain, suffering, and sin were a whirlpool that always sucked him in.

At that moment Sokka made a decision. He would not let this darkness continue to close in on him. He was better than that! Now that he was free, he had power over his own life. He would escape from this world. He took the scroll out of his shirt, looked at it for a moment, and then tore the parchment to pieces and broke the stems in half. Sokka of the Water Tribe was no more. Another story would now begin.


	4. I Dreamed a Dream

_Published May 13, 2011_

**Disclaimer**: The forewoman's conversations with Sokka and Kya are based on the dialogue in the 1998 movie _Les Miserables_, directed by Bille August, screenplay by Rafael Yglesias.

* * *

><p><em>Nine Years Later<em>

At the end of the day most of the factory workers gathered together to gossip. Kya went off in a corner by herself to read a letter she had received earlier. Jun noticed that as Kya read her face grew paler, her expression more worried.

Jun quietly walked up behind Kya, until their faces were almost touching. Then Kya started to turn her head, and was startled to find Jun's face next to hers. She tumbled forward, but Jun made to grab the scroll. "Come on Kya! Let's have all the news!" The two women fought over the scroll for a minute before Jun wrested it away. Kya watched in horror as Jun proudly read it aloud to the other women. "'Dear Kya, you must send us more money … Your child needs a doctor … There's no time to lose.'"

"Give me that letter!" Kya tried to grab it from Jun, who dangled it out of her reach. "It's none of your business!" The two women fought over the letter again, this time falling to the ground and wrestling.

Sokka, who was known to the factory staff as Master Lee, came over to break up the fight. "What's all this about? This is a factory, not a circus!" Sokka pulled Kya away while the forewoman grabbed Jun and held her back. Sokka addressed the forewoman. "As the manager, I look to you to sort this out. Be as patient as you can." And with that Sokka retreated to his office in the back.

The forewoman, who had no desire or intention to be patient, glared at each of the factory workers in turn. "Someone better explain!"

Jun stepped forward and handed the letter to the forewoman. "This is what we were fighting over. I just wanted to know how Kya's daughter was doing, but she wouldn't let me see it," she said innocently.

The forewoman looked at Kya in surprise. "You have a daughter?"

Kya looked mortified and scared. Not knowing what else to do, she nodded.

The forewoman skimmed the letter Jun had handed over. Then she looked up at Kya. "Stay where you are," she ordered. "The rest of you, go home. The work day is over, and you have no reason to still be here." With that the forewoman turned and went into Sokka's office. Kya watched her leave, feeling a sense of dread rising in her stomach.

Sokka was packing up to leave the office when the forewoman came in. "Yes, what is it?" he asked.

"I have received disturbing information about one of the girls. It seems she has a child and is not married."

Sokka glanced up at her. "Is she a prostitute?"

"No!" the forewoman said sharply. "I don't hire women who sell themselves."

"Of course you don't," Sokka said gently. "I apologize."

"It's just, I don't want our ladies to be exposed to corruption. I suggest dismissal."

Sokka nodded. "I trust your judgment."

"Thank you." The forewoman left Sokka's office and went over to Kya, who was sitting in the corner hugging her knees. "Kya, please come with me."

Kya trembled as she got to her knees and followed the forewoman into her office. "Please, have a seat," the forewoman said, gesturing to the chair in front of her desk. Kya did as she was told.

"This is not an easy thing for me to do," the forewoman began.

"You're not firing me, are you?" Kya asked fearfully.

"I'm afraid I am," the forewoman stated.

"No! Please don't let me go now. My little girl is sick. You read it in that letter from the people who take care of her. They need money for medicine, or …" Kya gulped, and her voice cracked as she finished. "Or she'll die."

The forewoman peered at the letter. "Who are these people? Are they relatives?"

"No, not relatives."

The forewoman frowned. "You deliberately left your child with strangers to conceal her?"

"No. I left her with strangers because she's better off with them. The two families run a boarding house to earn their income. Each family has a daughter, and my Katara can play with them. Only I have to make money to pay for her keep."

"You'll have to earn money some other way." The forewoman slid a pink slip over to Kya.

Kya took the pink slip, studied it for a moment, and then looked up at the forewoman in disbelief. "You're dismissing me for having a child."

"Not for having a child," the forewoman corrected, "but for having a child out of wedlock and pretending to be an honest woman."

Kya's frustration had simmered inside her for longer than she could remember. Now it bubbled up inside her and threatened to boil over. "I have to earn money to feed her. I have to lie! How else can I work and take care of her –" Kya stopped as she fell into a coughing fit. Her own health was not good; working in the factory clearly took its toll on the woman, and she had no spare money to buy medicine for herself.

"You make it sound as though your lie is my fault," the forewoman snapped.

Kya realized her mistake. When she stopped coughing and caught her breath she said weakly, "No. I'm sorry. I'm upset. I don't mean to argue, ma'am. My Katara is an innocent little girl. Please, don't punish her for my sin. I was stupid. I fell in love …" Kya trailed off.

The forewoman snorted. "'In love.' That is always the excuse."

"Please," Kya begged. "Just another month. I'll work hard."

But the forewoman shook her head. "Master Lee cares about his workers. He cannot have women of questionable morals influencing the girls. I'm sorry."

* * *

><p>Fired. Sacked. Terminated. Let go. Given the pink slip. Unemployed. Such words trickled into Kya's mind as she processed what had just taken place. When she reached the bottom of the hill on which the factory was situated, she sat down at the edge of the river dock and cried as the weight of the situation caught up with her. She was out of a job and out of money, and meanwhile Ozai was demanding more and more money to take care of Katara. Sometimes Kya wondered whether the money was really going toward Katara's care, but now they were writing that she was sick. If it was true, Kya had to come up with more money, and fast … or Katara might die. Kya broke into sobs at the thought. Though it had been years since she last saw her daughter, Kya loved her more than anything in the world. She had to keep going, for Katara's sake. She had to work to earn money to take care of Katara. Even if Katara's father hadn't bothered to take care of her and Kya, that didn't mean Kya should fail to take care of Katara.<p>

Kya closed her eyes, trying to push away the memory. But the thought of Katara inevitably brought thoughts of Katara's father, Hakoda, who had never met his daughter. Kya's hand flew up to the pendant at her neck, a stone carving Hakoda had made for her. He had spent a summer with Kya, a very different Kya than the one that existed now. Back then she had been young and unafraid, seeing life as an adventure to be had and enjoyed. She had thought she was in love, and believed that the love would never die. But then Hakoda abandoned a pregnant Kya, leaving her to raise a child all on her own. It was like being content while awake, going to sleep and having a wonderful dream, and then awaking and finding reality worse than ever. Life had killed the dream Kya dreamed. But she still dreamed that Hakoda would come back for her, that they would be reunited with their daughter, and maybe even live their lives together. But Kya knew that some dreams could not be. It was no use getting her hopes up, only to have them come crashing down with every trial, every torment, every tribulation.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Jang Hui is the impoverished town from the episode "The Painted Lady."

As you can see, I rewrote this chapter. I swore I wouldn't repost any chapters, but I realized that my old version of this chapter wasn't very good. It was based on the dialogue from the musical; but recently I started watching the 1998 movie _Les Miserables_, and I realized that their version of Fantine's termination was better. Also, I realized that I should establish that Kya's health is deteriorating; in the musical it comes as a surprise.

Fantine's lover is never named in the musical, but apparently in the book his name is Félix Tholomyès_._


	5. Sokka's Helping Hand

_Published June 1, 2011_

Jang Hui had once been a prosperous fishing village. But now, the Fire Nation smelting factory poured its runoff into the river, polluting the water and destroying the ecosystem, the fishing industry, and the town's supply of clean water. As a result, the people of Jang Hui were all poor, sickly, and struggling to survive.

The docks were littered with pimps and prostitutes. Of course, the only people who might possibly be able to pay for such services were the well-to-do Fire Nation officials who visited the nearby factory on business.

That was why Admiral Zhao took the time to cross the river to the village. He hadn't been happy about visiting the factory in that disgusting place, but if he could have a good time this way, then perhaps the trip would have been worth it.

Kya felt almost sick watching him look at the girls lined on the dock. She had hoped that she would never have to stoop this low. But she was desperate, and she told herself that it was for Katara.

Zhao looked Kya up and down. "I think this one," he told the pimp. Kya cringed as he ran his hand over her shoulder. "Come here, you, I like to see what I buy."

Kya batted his hand away. "Let me go; I don't want you."

"Is this a joke? I won't pay more."

"No, not at all."

"You've got some nerve!"

"It's not for the harlot to pick and choose," the pimp told her.

Zhao took her arm and tried to drag her to an apartment building, but Kya wriggled and tried to get away from him. His hands smoked slightly, singeing Kya's scant dress. She cried out and clawed at his face. He let go and Kya saw that his face was bleeding.

Zhao reached up to touch his face; there was blood on his hand when it came away. "You'll pay for that, you little whore! Dai Li!"

Kya paled. "Don't report me! I'm begging you – I'll do whatever you want –"

"Make your excuse to the authorities!" Zhao snapped, flagging down some passing Dai Li agents. A small crowd gathered to see what all the fuss was.

Long Feng surveyed the docks. "What's the trouble here? Who laid hands on this good man?"

Zhao's tone was self-righteous and pitiful. "I was passing by the docks when this prostitute attacked me. You see what she did to me?" The scratches were now teeming with blood.

Long Feng nodded. "She'll answer for her actions when you make a full report. Dai Li, arrest the woman."

Kya was sobbing now. "Please, sir, I have a child who sorely needs me! If I go to jail she'll die!"

Long Feng scoffed. "Save your breath. I've heard such protestations every day for twenty years. If you want to make a living, you do honest work and don't make trouble. Hard time will teach you that."

Kya gave a wail of despair as a Dai Li agent bended earthen handcuffs on her. Just then, a man stepped out of the small crowd. Kya recognized him as Master Lee, her old boss. Long Feng hadn't been formally introduced to him, but he knew the man to be the wealthy factory manager. As he approached and Long Feng got a closer look at him, Long Feng thought he looked strangely familiar, but could not place it.

"Just a moment, Long Feng. I know this woman, and I do believe her story."

Long Feng looked shocked. "Master Lee!"

Kya stared at the two men. What was he doing? Could she be spared? Was such a wealthy man really reaching out to help a wretch like her?

"You've done your duty; let her be," Sokka insisted. "She needs a healer, not a jailer."

Long Feng looked miffed, but he signaled the Dai Li agent to remove Kya's handcuffs. They stepped back as Sokka kneeled down next to Kya.

"I know your face, but not your name," Sokka said.

"Kya," she said flatly.

"Please, show me some way to help you. How did you end up here?" He gestured to the docks frequented by sailors and prostitutes.

Kya's voice was bitter. "Don't mock me, Master Lee. It's hard enough I've lost my pride. You let your forewoman send me away when I hadn't done anything wrong." Seeing Sokka's surprised expression, she said, "Yes, you were there, and turned a blind eye."

Sokka pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead, clearly troubled. Was it true, what he had done to an innocent soul? He'd been so wrapped up in his own troubles when the forewoman consulted him; he hadn't considered what the consequences of dismissing the worker might be.

Kya was still talking. "My daughter is close to dying. Now I'm out of a job, and I can't save her. Oh, if there's a Spirit World, the spirits would let me die instead."

Sokka took Kya by the arm and helped her stand. Kya fell into a coughing fit. Sokka looked at her in concern. "Come on, Kya. I'll bring you to a hospital. The healers will help you. I'll make sure you're taken care of."

As he guided her away from Zhao and Long Feng, Sokka's mind went back to a night when he had been just as desperate as Kya. Stealing that bag of rice had earned him hard time, and there had been no one to save him.

When he was released, Fire Sage Iroh saved him from returning to the same fate. He had asked Sokka to use the silver to become an honest man.

It was his fault that Kya had been fired; it was his responsibility to help her. To honor the Sage's memory, Sokka vowed to do whatever he could to help this woman, just as Iroh had helped him. He would repay the world with the kindness Iroh had shown to him. He realized that, in the spirits' name, his task had just begun. And he was determined to see it done.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I know, this isn't one of my best chapters. It's not easy to write a sexual harassment scene based on a song from a musical! I promise better chapters will come next.


	6. The Runaway Cart

_Published June 22, 2011_

**Disclaimer:** Long Feng's conversation with General Mung (the Fire Nation general from "The Painted Lady") is based on Javert's conversation in the 1998 movie _Les Miserables_, directed by Bille August, screenplay by Rafael Yglesias.

* * *

><p>About a week passed before Long Feng saw Master Lee again. The Dai Li leader and factory manager were both called to the scene of an accident at the factory, in the section where the male employees worked. The crowd of workers parted to let the two men through, revealing a metal cart that had collapsed onto an elderly man.<p>

"Dock!" Lee recognized the man.

"No, it's Xu," the foreman said, "Dock's brother."

Lee looked incredulously at the workers who stood in a circle surrounding the cart. "Why are you all standing around? Someone help me lift this cart!"

"Don't go near!" the foreman cried. "You'll be crushed too!"

Lee ignored the man, pulling off his outer robe and rolling up his sleeves. He wasn't going to just stand by while one of his workers died – not when it might be in his power to help.

Everyone watched in awe as Lee braced himself against the cart, pressing his chest against it and lifting the lower end with his hands. The cart started to lift maybe an inch or two, but then Lee dropped it back. Xu screamed in pain. Hearing the man's agony seemed to fuel Lee, and he tried again to lift the cart. His muscles strained under the weight; but the cart continued to move up, inch by inch, until it was a foot and a half off the ground at Lee's end. Then the foreman reached under the cart and pulled Xu out. Once Xu was safely out of the way, Sokka dropped the cart back down with a _thud_, sighing in relief.

Something stirred in Long Feng's memory, but it was brushed away by the crowd's cheers for their manager. Xu looked up, dazed, as Lee came over to him. "Thank you!" he wheezed. "I … I don't know what else to say. Thank you so much!"

"I was glad to do it," Lee said calmly, wiping the sweat from his brow. He turned to the foreman who was supporting Xu. "Take him to the hospital. I'll be there shortly."

Long Feng started to walk away from the crowd; it seemed he wasn't needed anymore. Apparently General Mung was thinking the same thing, as he followed Long Feng out of the factory.

"Did you see that?" General Mung said to him. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"I have," Long Feng started to say; but then he stopped, as sudden realization hit him like a massive rock in an Earth Rumble. He'd seen criminals perform such feats of strength in the quarries and mines; the brutal labor made them incredibly strong. Sokka of the Water Tribe, in particular, had grown in strength during his sentence.

_That_ was who Master Lee reminded Long Feng of.

"Incredible feat," Long Feng murmured. Then he asked General Mung conversationally, "Has Master Lee always been that strong?

Mung shrugged. "I didn't know he was that strong."

"Didn't he show it when he was young?"

"I didn't know him when he was young."

"Oh, that's right," Long Feng said smoothly. "He moved here. Where's he from?"

"He came here from Ba Sing Se, but that's not where he was born …"

"Didn't you check his papers when he arrived?

"Of course I did," the general said irritably. "I just don't remember."

They were approaching the dock now. "Well, we certainly have a story to tell," Long Feng said. "I suppose I'll see you later." General Mung nodded and continued walking up the riverbank, while Long Feng stayed at the dock looking thoughtfully out at the polluted river.

Now he knew why Master Lee had looked so familiar. Why hadn't he seen it before? True, the man's appearance had changed greatly; he was clean-shaven and wore his hair in a neat topknot rather than that shaggy overgrown mess. But he had the same blue eyes, light brown skin, and incredible strength.

The gears in Long Feng's mind were turning as quickly as the machinery in the factory. He had to do something about this. Sokka of the Water Tribe was a thief. It was a mockery of Earth Kingdom institutions to have a corrupt and depraved man in charge of their industry. Long Feng vowed he would denounce him. But no one would believe that Jang Hui's beloved factory manager was a convict. He would need proof …

A smile stole across Long Feng's face. If he forced a trial, then the evidence would be found.

* * *

><p>Sokka was late when he arrived at his office a few days later. He had first gone to the Middle Ring hospital to check on Xu and Kya. Xu was slowly recovering from his accident and reasonably looking forward to his retirement; Sokka had set up a good pension for him.<p>

But Kya was not faring as well. The healer, Yugoda, had spoken privately with Sokka about it. "All those months spent working overtime in that dusty factory, when she should have been seeing a doctor. I'm afraid there's little hope left for her."

Kya had not been informed of her pending death. Nevertheless, she seemed to know intuitively that she was close to the end. She was growing weaker, but she was still determined. "I'm going to get better for my girl," she told Sokka when he visited her that morning. "But if the Spirits choose to take me … will you look after Katara? I know I have no right …"

Sokka took her hand in both of his. "You and Katara will always be safe with me. I swear it."

She had thanked him profoundly for paying for her care at the hospital, and for sending the money that Ozai had demanded. It eased Sokka's own conscience to help Kya; this was his penance for causing Kya to lose her job, as well as his duty as a human to help his fellow human beings. But now, he realized, he was offering her more than just financial help. For the first time, Kya had a friend, someone who cared about her, who wanted to help her and get nothing in return.

The forewoman knocked on Sokka's office door, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Master Lee, Long Feng is here to see you."

Sokka breathed deeply, trying to mentally prepare himself to face the man. "Bring him in," he said, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead.

A moment later the head of the Dai Li entered Sokka's office. It was ironic, Sokka realized, that Long Feng should be coming to see _him_ in _his_ office, when he could remember how he had entered Long Feng's office ten years before. But both times, Long Feng was the one who wanted to see him, and Sokka was ignorant of what he wanted.

"How can I help you, Long Feng?" Sokka kept his voice casual and courteous.

The man bowed. "I wanted to apologize, Master Lee."

Sokka raised his eyebrows. "Apologize for what?"

"When I saw you lift the cart with your bare hands, I was reminded of a man I knew years ago – a convict from the chain gang who broke his parole. He has been on the run for ten years. I apologize, sir, because I dared to suspect that you might be this man."

Sokka kept his face poker straight. He had worried something like this might happen, with Long Feng and the Dai Li patrolling Jang Hui as well as Ba Sing Se. But what was Long Feng doing, apologizing to him? There was something going on here …

"I know now that you couldn't be him," Long Feng continued, "because he's just been rearrested."

Sokka felt like the bottom of his stomach had dropped. Long Feng was still talking. "He comes to court today. Of course he denies it, but that's to be expected. Sokka of the Water Tribe is remarkable man, but he couldn't run forever." His voice was casual, almost careless, but his eyes glistened with excitement.

Sokka swallowed and spoke, trying to sound calm and merely curious. "Are you certain it's him? Can you be sure that I'm not your man?"

"I knew Sokka during the entire duration of his sentence. I recognize his face and voice; I can swear that the man is him." Long Feng shrugged. "I just wanted to apologize. Now I must go; I need to be at the courthouse in the Upper Ring by noon." He bowed to Sokka and then left the office.

Sokka stood and closed the door behind Long Feng. Once the man had left the factory, Sokka released an anguished cry and kicked his lacquer desk, swearing. He repeated every curse he had learned on the streets and in prison. Then he slumped back in his chair, exhausted, and buried his face in his hands.

He had never felt so torn in his life. What was he going to do? He didn't want an innocent man to be punished for his crime. No one should have to suffer as he had in prison – especially not an innocent bystander.

Turning himself in would not only hurt himself, but his employees. He was the master of hundreds of workers. They all looked to him. How could he abandon them? And what about Kya? He was paying for her care at the hospital, and he had promised to make sure that her daughter was well cared for. They had no one else in the world to help them.

Perhaps … it would be a long shot, but … was it possible that he could go to the trial, reveal himself and render the accused man innocent, and be able to get away and somehow help Kya and Katara before the Dai Li caught up with him?

Sokka shook his head. He didn't have much other choice. He had to get ready now. He needed to settle his affairs and then pack his bags; he would have to be far away tonight.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: I realize that in this story Sokka isn't as witty and sarcastic as he is in the series. I think twenty years in prison would do that to you. But I put in Sokka's frustrated reaction after Long Feng leaves his office in an effort to keep him in character.


	7. Confession and Confrontation

_Published June 30, 2011. Updated October 23, 2011._

****Disclaimer**:** Most of the trial scene is based on the dialogue in the 1998 movie _Les Miserables_, directed by Bille August, screenplay by Rafael Yglesias.

**Note:** The Mayor is the same Mayor who appears in "Avatar Day," and I imagine the false Sokka is the Actor Sokka from "The Ember Island Players."

* * *

><p>"Is this the courthouse?" Sokka asked.<p>

"Yes, sir," a passerby said.

For a moment Sokka stood and stared at the ominous Upper Ring building. He tried to steel himself for what he was about to do.

Maybe he had known all along that discovery was inevitable. But if he had to go back to prison … at least he had come to regret his crime, and helped others the way Fire Sage Iroh had helped him. He'd had ten years of freedom and even prosperity – and fear. Fear of discovery and capture and imprisonment. But now he was about to face that fear. Strangely, it almost felt like he wasn't afraid anymore; he knew what he was doing, and that brought a strange, fleeting sense of peace in him.

Sokka straightened his shoulders, held his head high, and entered the courthouse.

The place was jammed full of spectators. Zhao, the officer who had harassed Kya, was one of the jury members. Sokka started when he saw the two men in the witness stand: Haru and Chit Sang, two convicts he had known during his sentence. And there, in the accused box, was a thin middle-aged man. To Long Feng's credit, he did somewhat resemble Sokka. The man looked terrified.

It seemed the proceedings had already started before Sokka arrived. He sat down with the spectators and listened as Long Feng called Haru and Chit Sang each to testify. Each time he called a witness, Long Feng told them, "Remember, what you say may destroy a man's life." Those words rang in Sokka's ears, and reminded him of why he was there.

After each witness had been called, Sokka quietly went over to the Mayor's stand. "May I address the court?" Sokka asked the mayor.

"Yes, sir. Certainly, Master Lee."

Sokka walked over to Chit Sang at the witness stand. "Look at me. Do you recognize me?" The firebender looked dubiously at him, but Sokka interrupted before he could answer. "I recognize you. Hello, Chit Sang. And you, Haru."

The two convicts looked at him in disbelief. "Don't look at my fancy clothes," Sokka said forcefully. "Look at my eyes!" He turned to the man in the witness stand. "Chit Sang," he said. "You're a firebender, and one guard in particular tried to provoke you into firebending so you would go to the Cooler as punishment. One time, we used this as an opportunity to escape. I obtained a wrench for you, and when the guard put you in the Cooler, you unscrewed it from the wall and we used it as a boat to get across the boiling lake. We were halfway across the lake when you dipped a piece of metal into the water as a makeshift oar, and you burned your hand and yelled in pain. The guards sounded the alarm, we were caught, and we each had five years added to our prison sentences."

Ignoring the stunned looks Chit Sang and the court were giving him, Sokka addressed the earthbender. "Haru, you were arrested for earthbending, which was forbidden by the Fire Nation in your village. You used your bending to save an old man in a cave-in; and that night the man turned you in to the Fire Nation. Your father Tyro was also an inmate; he was one of the earthbenders who defended your village when the Fire Nation tried to take over. He had been in prison for five years before you were arrested. You and the other earthbenders tried to escape by bending the coal in the prison – your only source of earth, since the prison was made entirely out of metal and was located in the middle of a lake."

Sokka turned back to the Mayor. "Honorable Mayor, I know these men, and they know me. I am the man you want." He paused, and then declared calmly, "I am Sokka of the Water Tribe!" Oh, it felt good to say his real name, to announce it in front of everyone – though that act would likely be his undoing.

Long Feng slammed his fist on his desk. "I _knew_ it!"

The Mayor stuttered. "Master Lee, I know you to be a kind man, but this …"

"I'm Sokka, and I can prove it." A disturbed murmur rippled through the courtroom as Sokka started to untie the front of his robe. "I am prisoner number two. Four. Six. Oh. One!" He opened the front of his shirt, revealing the tattooed prison number: 24601.

Once they had gotten over the shock, the Mayor and other officials were very flustered. "Well - I suppose - we'll have to make a full examination -"

Sokka waved his hand indifferently. "Continue with the investigation. You'll find further proof that I am Sokka." He paused, and added, almost jokingly, "Feel free to arrest me whenever you like." And with that he quickly exited the courtroom.

* * *

><p>Kya was dying.<p>

That fact became evident in the short time she spent at the hospital, in the care of waterbending healers. She was coughing up blood, and sometimes she was only semi-aware of her surroundings.

"She thinks her daughter is with her," Yugoda told Sokka when he arrived there. "That's all she's been talking about." She showed Sokka to Kya's small hospital room.

Kya was lying on the bed, pale and thin, her forehead and hair damp with sweat. She was breathing heavily, as though each inhale and exhale took a large amount of effort.

Sokka knelt down next to her bed. "Kya, we don't have much time," Sokka said urgently.

Kya coughed, but somehow managed to speak. "I have to tell you something. I know … I won't be able … I'm not going to live much longer." Kya reached up to the back of her neck and undid the clasp of her necklace, the one Hakoda had made for her all those years ago. Trembling, she handed the necklace to Sokka, pressing it into his hand. "Please give this to Katara," she said. "I saved it for her. Her father made it for me. And tell her I love her, and I'm sorry."

Sokka nodded.

"I leave her to your keeping," Kya said, her voice cracking. "You will raise her, won't you?"

Sokka hesitated. He had no experience with children, and what was more, he might soon be arrested. But he couldn't tell Kya that; the shock would be too much for her, and she deserved a peaceful death.

What Sokka said was, "Yes."

"Promise me."

Sokka squeezed the Water Tribe necklace in one hand and Kya's hand in the other. "I promise."

Kya sighed in relief. "Good. Then … I can die … in peace …"

"Be at peace forevermore," Sokka said softly. It seemed like the right thing to say – the kind of thing people said at funerals.

Kya squeezed Sokka's hand with her last ounce of strength; then the closed her eyes for the last time, and her hand was limp in Sokka's.

He bowed his head. She was gone. Kya's sufferings were over. But he couldn't speak for his own, or for Katara's.

Sokka wasn't surprised when Long Feng appeared in the doorway, having rushed there from the courthouse with an arrest warrant. "Sokka of the Water Tribe," the earthbender sneered. "At last, we see each other plainly."

Sokka stood slowly and faced Long Feng, still clutching Kya's necklace in his hand. "Before you say another word, Long Feng, before you arrest me, listen to what I have to say. There is something I have to do." He gestured to Kya's still form. "This woman leaves behind a suffering child. She has no other friends or relatives. I'm the only one who can help the child. Three days are all I need; and then, you have my word, I'll return, and you can do what you will with me. This is a duty I've sworn to do."

Long Feng scoffed at Sokka. "Do you think I'm mad? There are two kinds of people in this world: those who abide the law, and those who break the law. You fall into the latter category. A man like you can never change!"

"Believe what you will of me. You know nothing about my life. All I did was steal a bag of rice. I've changed! You know nothing of my world – or of Kya's world, or her daughter's."

"How dare you talk to me of crime and the price you had to pay!" Long Feng cried. "You know nothing about me. My father was a thief, my mother a prostitute. I was born with nothing, just like you, and I had to struggle to get to where I am today. Every man is born in sin, and every man must choose his way. Reform is a discredited fantasy. A wolf can wear sheep's clothing, but he's still a wolf."

"I'm warning you, Long Feng," Sokka said, raising his voice. "I'm a stronger man than you, in body and spirit. There's nothing I won't dare to do. If I have to kill you now, I'll do what must be done!"

Long Feng grabbed the chair by the bed and threw it at him; but Sokka ducked and the chair crashed against the wall, breaking to pieces. Sokka rushed to the bed, kneeling beside Kya's dead body and taking her hand in his. "Kya, I swear to you on my life: your child will live in my care, and I will raise her to the light."

Long Feng moved to the doorway, blocking the path of Sokka's escape. "There is no place for you to hide. Wherever you may go, I promise you, I will be there!"

Sokka stood again, and as he turned to face Long Feng he reached behind his back and deftly pulled out a boomerang, which he threw at Long Feng. It hit the man square on the head, knocking him over and causing him to lose consciousness. Sokka took one last glance at Kya, and then sprinted over the unconscious form of the Head of the Dai Li.


	8. Master of the House

_Published July 3, 2011_

Kya had put a lot of thought into choosing her daughter's name. _Katara_. It meant "rain" or "waterfall," which seemed appropriate since Katara was a waterbender; but it also meant "curse," which seemed to describe Kya's life. And _Katara_ sounded like her own name, _Kya_, as well as her mother's name, _Kanna_.

At nine years old, Katara had few memories of her mother. She only saw her once every few years. She did remember the last time Kya had visited, about three years before.

_"Hey Mom, do you want to see the turtle-ducks?" Katara said, eagerly pulling her mother over to the pond in the backyard. Mai was sitting on the bank looking bored. Azula picked up a stone and threw it into the pond; it hit one of the baby turtle-ducks on the back._

_ Kya was shocked. "Why would you do that?"_

_ Katara knelt down next to the water and held her hand out to the injured turtle-duck. She bended some of the water from the pond and guided it to the baby animal's back, healing its bruise. Kya's heart stirred with pride at her daughter's empathy and healing abilities. Katara was always so eager to help anyone in need._

_ The baby turtle-duck's mother came over to make sure her child was all right. Then she jumped out of the pond and attacked Azula, biting her foot. The firebender shrieked and yelled in pain. Kya quickly picked up the mother turtle-duck and set her back in the pond. The animal squawked in protest before swimming away with her babies in tow._

_ "Why did she do that?" Azula said, glaring in the direction of the turtle-duck._

_ "Well, that's what moms are like," Kya said, hugging her daughter. Katara snuggled into her mother's embrace. "If you mess with their babies, they bite you back."_

Ozai's harsh voice pulled Katara out of her daydream. "Are you quite finished?"

Startled, Katara slipped on the floor she had been washing, upsetting the bucket of water and causing it to splash over the floor. Katara gasped; if Ozai saw she'd made a mess, she was _really_ going to get it. Hearing approaching footsteps, she quickly set the bucket upright, then swiftly bended the water off the floor and back into the bucket.

Ozai stood in the doorway, glaring at the girl scrubbing his kitchen. "The little water witch herself! Pretending she's been so good. Better not let me catch you slacking!"

"I'm almost done, sir," Katara said meekly, keeping her eyes downcast as she mopped.

Ozai ran his finger over the kitchen table to see if it had dust on it. But Katara had already dusted and polished the table, and set it for the family's dinner. "I want this place to look perfect when Azula and Mai get back," Ozai barked.

Katara had mixed feelings about the girls' return from boarding school. She dreaded seeing Azula again. One of Azula's favorite pastimes was tormenting the waterbender drudge. But Mai wasn't so bad; she might do whatever unkind thing Azula told her to do, but she wasn't really mean by nature. At least it might be a little better having girls Katara's age around the house.

Just then they heard an ostrich-horse-drawn carriage pull up outside the inn. "Ah, speak of the devil," Ozai said, heading for the door.

Katara smirked when his back was turned. _Yes, speaking of the devil_ …

She put away the mop and bucket just before Ozai led the girls and Mai's father inside. Mai's mother came running down the hall. "Oh, Mai, you've gotten so big!" She smothered Mai in a hug, clearly making the girl uncomfortable, though Mai smiled ever so slightly. The three parents gushed over the two Fire Nation girls, while Katara hung back, watching the reunion wistfully.

"I'm so glad to be home," Azula said in a tone that made her statement sounded more like a complaint. "It was raining when we left the Academy."

"A little fall of rain can't hurt me," Mai said. She shrugged one shoulder and ventured, "I kind of like the rain."

Azula scoffed. "You _like_ the rain? But you hate sunny days?"

"Yeah, I like the rain. It's … refreshing."

Azula looked at Mai for a moment before shaking her head at her friend's folly.

"Katara," Mai's mother said, "fetch some water from the well."

Katara blanched. "No, please – don't send me out in the woods, in the dark, by myself –"

"No arguing!" Mai's father said sharply. "Go!"

Katara didn't dare disobey. Reluctantly she picked up a bucket and stepped outside, leaving the happy Fire Nation families behind her.

The air outside was frigid, and Katara shivered. She almost wished that she were a firebender like Azula – then she could light her way and keep herself warm. Her patched hand-me-downs were hardly sufficient in the cold. Meanwhile Azula and Mai always got brand-new, fancy red clothes. Katara had grown to dislike the color red.

She slowly navigated her way through the trees to the well. There she set the bucket down, waved her arms fluidly, and bent some water out of the well and into the bucket. Katara smiled to herself; she was getting better at this. She never had much time to practice waterbending, and when she did, she tried to do it when Ozai and Mai's parents weren't around; they had all but forbidden her to waterbend.

A twig snapped in the darkness nearby. Katara dropped the water she had been playing with, and it splashed onto the ground.

"Who's there?" Katara got into a fighting stance, rotating her head to look at her surroundings. She bended some more water into the air, just in case …

Hearing a much louder sound behind her, Katara turned and lashed out with the water. It made contact with a stranger, striking him in the chest. He cried out as he fell on his back. He did not get up right away, but looked at Katara in surprise, water dripping from his face.

"You're a waterbender?" he said.

"Yes," Katara said shortly. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

Sokka slowly got to his feet, looking warily at Katara, who stayed in a defensive position. "Call me Kuzon." That would be his new alias. "And – I believe you are the girl I'm looking for. Are you Katara, Kya's daughter?"

Katara frowned and lowered her arms slightly. "Yes. Why?"

"Take me to your guardian, and I'll explain everything."

Katara wavered, but then she decided to trust the man. If he were going to attack her, he would have already done so. She got out of a defensive stance, and then bended the water off of Sokka. "I'm sorry I attacked you."

"That's okay. What are you doing out here, anyway? As you must have guessed I was doing, anyone or anything could hurt you out here."

Katara shrugged. "The masters of the house sent me to fetch water."

"In the woods, after dark?"

She laughed mirthlessly. "That's what I said. They don't care."

Sokka frowned, but said nothing. "Take me to them."

Katara picked up her bucket and led the way out of the forest back to the inn.

When Katara stepped inside, Ozai whirled around. "What took you so long?" he snapped, but he stopped when he saw Sokka follow inside. Thinking it was a potential guest, Ozai made a welcoming gesture. "Welcome, sir. Won't you come in?"

"Thank you. Are you Ozai?"

He blinked. "I am he."

"I'm here about Katara." Sokka kept his hand on Katara's shoulder. "I'm a friend of her mother's."

At the table, Azula and Mai looked up to stare at Katara and Sokka. Katara looked surprised herself.

"Incidentally, it's interesting to see her alive and healthy. Your last letter to Kya reported that Katara was sick and close to death."

Ozai and Mai's parents exchanged uneasy glances. "She … made a miraculous recovery," Ozai said.

Sokka's face hardened. He saw the Fire Nation families for what they were. They had taken advantage of both Kya and Katara, siphoning Kya's money and abusing Katara.

"Well, anyway," Sokka said, and then hesitated. "I'm here because Katara's mother, Kya, has died."

Mai's mother gasped loudly, pretending to be horrified. Her husband caught on and bowed his head sorrowfully. Ozai went along and put his hand over his heart. "That's terrible," he said.

Katara stared at Sokka, who dug into his pocket and extracted something. He handed Katara the necklace Kya had left for her. "Her last thoughts were of you," he told her. "She wanted you to have this. It was a gift from your father."

Katara took the necklace hesitantly, holding it gingerly. She'd never owned something so delicate and beautiful. She looked up at Sokka. "Thank you."

He smiled at her. "You're welcome." Then he turned back to the adults. "The reason I'm here is, Kya left Katara to my keeping, and I promised to take care of her. She'll have a father now."

The other adults frowned and exchanged glances.

"Shouldn't Katara have a say in this?" Ozai said. "This is the only home she's known. We've treated her like one of our own. I should think she'd be sad to leave, after everything we've done for her. " His eyes flashed dangerously in her direction.

Katara felt Sokka's protective hand on her shoulder. She stood up straight and looked Ozai in the eye. "You know very well I won't stay. And you know why."

Sokka said persuasively, "It will be a weight off your shoulders; I know you wrote to Kya about how expensive it was to take care of her."

An unmistakable blush crept up Mai's mother's face. She tried to pull her sleeves down to hide her opulent bracelets.

"I'll settle any debt Kya owed you," Sokka said, reaching for his purse.

Ozai's eyes lit up at this. He shot a look at Mai's parents, and they understood. Here was a chance to get some money, even if they were losing their slave.

"Oh, sir, we couldn't," Mai's father said, feigning humbleness. "Such a sweet girl, and with her mother gone to rest …" He trailed off.

"Your feelings do you credit, sir," Sokka said. "But I know from your letters that Kya owed you money even at the time of her death. Twenty copper pieces – are we agreed?"

Mai's mother spoke up. "That would be quite fine, sir, if she hadn't so often gotten sick. Medicines are expensive … not that we begrudged a coin, it was the least we could do for the poor girl."

Sokka had heard enough of their wheedling. He didn't have time for this; they had to be far away by morning. He went over to the table and slammed fifty gold pieces on the table. As he did, Azula saw the front of his shirt slip a little, revealing a tattoo on his chest. It was a number – 24601. Azula wondered what it meant. Then Sokka seemed to realize she'd noticed; he jerked his shirt up into place, then strode over and took Katara's hand. "Come on, Katara, say good-bye."

Katara glanced at the girls sitting at the table. It was strange, to think that she might never see them again. "Good-bye."

Sokka led her out the door. Hand in hand they walked back toward the path in the forest.

"So, what should I call you?" Katara asked. Sokka had said he would be her father now.

"You may call me Kuzon." He glanced sideways at the girl. "Or, if you want, you could call me Dad."

She giggled. "Dad," she said, testing the word. "Hm. I don't know. Maybe Uncle Kuzon?"

He grinned. "That works, too."

"Where are we going?"

Sokka had decided during his journey to find Katara. "Ba Sing Se."

Katara's blue eyes widened. "The Earth Kingdom capital?" She had never dreamed of going to such a big city. But then again, she'd never imagined that a kind, wealthy man would adopt her and rescue her from the Fire Nation families. She felt like a girl in a fairy tale.

Katara turned to look over her shoulder, catching a final look at the house where she had been raised and abused. Mai had stepped out front and was watching them with a strange expression. It wasn't her usual bored stare; she was frowning, and there was puzzlement and something that might have been jealousy in her eyes. Katara could never recall a time when Mai had been jealous of her; she'd always envied Mai and Azula, not only for their luxurious lives, but also for the love their families so freely gave them.

After a moment Katara turned around. She touched her mother's necklace and tried to look further down the road. They both knew the journey would be hard, but they hoped a better life awaited them.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> That information about Katara's name is true. (I like looking up the meanings of names.) In Portuguese and Spanish Katara means "rain/waterfall;" in Greek it means "curse."

In Victor Hugo's novel _Les Misérables_, Eponine Thernadier actually has a sister named Azelma – that sounds like Azula. (They also have two younger brothers that aren't included in the play, and Gavroche is their brother; sometimes the musical playbill for Gavroche will say he is a Thernadier, but no indication of this is made in the musical.)

An important difference between _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ and my story is that Zuko is not related to Azula and Ozai, which is why he wasn't included in this chapter.


	9. Robbery in the Lower Ring

_Published July 10, 2011_

_Ten years later_

Trouble was brewing in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se.

Actually, Zuko couldn't remember a time when trouble _didn't_ brew in the Lower Ring. It was the home of the down-and-out, good-for-nothings, and rabble-rousers. Crime rates were high; prostitutes and pickpockets made up a fair portion of the populace. That's why Zuko couldn't understand why Aang and Toph hung out here. Aang claimed that he looked up to the pirates who passed through selling their suspiciously acquired merchandise; Toph said she got a thrill out of sneaking away from her overprotective parents, and enjoyed sparring with other benders. Their guide in the Lower Ring was The Duke, a street urchin who knew all the best hideouts and was acquainted with many thieves – which made sense, seeing as he was a small-time thief himself. Jet first met The Duke when the latter tried stealing food from the Freedom Fighters' stores – he didn't think The Duke had ever had a real home. Zuko made it his business to look after the youngsters in the Lower Ring – which basically translated to getting Aang, Toph, and The Duke out of scrapes. So Zuko was used to trouble, from unusual episodes to the typical poverty and discontent that was the Lower Ring.

But this was different. This trouble was wrought with tension and uncertainty. It was simmering, ready at any moment to boil over.

"They say the Earth King won't last a week," Mai told Zuko.

"Where do you get all this information?" he asked. It seemed to him that Mai knew everything about everyone in Ba Sing Se.

Mai cracked a smile; Zuko was the only person who could get her to smile. "You'd be surprised. I know as much as you or any student."

Zuko laughed. "You wouldn't find the things you know in scrolls like these," he said, adjusting the schoolbag on his shoulder. Then his voice turned serious. "King Kuei's death will be a real blow to the Freedom Fighters – to say nothing of the masses of poor," Zuko said, gesturing to the passersby in the square. "He's the only Earth King in the past five generations that has actually cared about the people. His death will only mean trouble."

"One would think that things couldn't get worse," Mai said, looking down at her ragged, patched dress. Her stomach ached with hunger – she hadn't eaten since early yesterday morning. Sometimes Mai wondered if the failure of her parents' inn had been the Spirits' way of punishing them for their greed. But the other members of the Fire Nation families hadn't learned from their mistakes; now that they were poor, they were more driven to do dishonest acts. Even Mai did her share.

Zuko shook his head at Mai's comment. "My uncle says, no matter how bad things are, there's always a worse place that you could be."

"Really? How could my life be any worse?"

Zuko looked offended. "You could be alone and friendless! At least you have me! And you have a family – I know you don't care for them much, but at least you have someone."

"Hey Zuko." He turned and saw Toph approaching him. "I just thought you'd like to know … she's coming."

Zuko blinked. "Who …" he started to ask, but then he realized to whom Toph must have been referring.

Sure enough, a minute later a middle-aged man entered the square, with a blue-clad teenaged girl following close behind.

Zuko felt a flutter though his stomach when he recognized the girl. Her name was Katara; Zuko had seen her around both the Lower and Middle Rings. She had come to the University on a few occasions, usually to visit their library, so Zuko knew she was intelligent and studious. When she visited the Lower Ring Katara always brought coins or a bit of food to give to the beggars, particularly children. Zuko had even seen her play with Aang and Toph and The Duke. When he had asked them who the girl was, Toph answered, "That's Katara. She's a waterbender. I've sparred with her before, and once she made me go to a spa with her. It was the first time I actually felt girly." Toph had shuddered at the memory, before adding, "She's really nice – she's compassionate and kind, and she actually cares about me – you know, the real me. She's the only person outside the Lower Ring who took the time to get to know me personally, and she actually liked what she saw."

Now Zuko wondered if he should approach her. Whenever he saw her, on those rare occasions, he tried to work up the courage to go over and talk to her. But he couldn't seem to work up the courage. Every time he hesitated, and then missed his chance as Katara hurried away; afterwards he cursed himself for being such a coward. He was having such an internal battle as he watched Toph, Aang, and The Duke go over to talk to Katara.

"The Painted Lady came again last night!" The Duke announced.

Sokka frowned. "The what now?" At once he wished he hadn't spoken. Sokka always tried to keep a low profile, and tried to get Katara to do the same; but occasionally he allowed her to go out. But he always accompanied her when she went to the Lower Ring – it was just too dangerous to let her go there alone.

Aang rolled his eyes and explained. "She's part of the lore from Jang Hui – you know that little fishing village nearby? They say she's a river spirit who watches over people in times of need."

The Duke turned to Katara and Sokka. "Sometimes she leaves food as gifts for us," he added. "And last night, she came through the Lower Ring and healed most of the sick folks."

"See, the people in the Lower Ring don't need King Kuei to help them," Toph said jokingly. "They already have someone to help them."

"Can you believe how much an entire community can be affected by one person – I mean spirit?" Katara said to Sokka.

"Well, I hope she comes every night," Sokka said bluntly, "otherwise this place will stay exactly the way it always has been."

Katara furrowed her brow at her adoptive father. "Why would you say that?"

Sokka shrugged. "Without this Painted Lady, these people wouldn't be able to fend for themselves."

Toph spoke up. "If she really wants to help, she should use her spirit magic to blow up the factory that's polluting the river in Jang Hui. Then maybe they could rebuild the fishing industry and get back on their feet."

Mai's voice tugged Zuko's eyes away from the waterbender. "Something wicked this way comes." Mai nodded toward a side street, where Azula and Ozai were leading a small gang of thieves into the square. Mai looked in the direction they were headed; it looked as though they were going to approach a middle-aged man and a girl about Zuko and Mai's age, who were now browsing a fruit stall. "Zuko, you should leave."

Startled at Mai's urgency, Zuko glanced suspiciously at the Fire Nation gang and then at the girl and her father. "Who are they? What –"

"Stay out of this! It's not your concern."

Zuko stayed where he was, watching as Ozai and Azula approached the man. Azula was studying Katara's father intently, her eyes narrowed and a frown on her face.

"Oh, sir," Ozai said pitifully, "can you spare a few coins for a hungry family?"

"Wait a minute," Azula murmured, holding a hand up to stop her father.

"Azula," Ozai said through his teeth, "you're not helping –"

"I know you!" Azula exclaimed. "You're the man who took Katara away!"

Mai gasped and looked at the girl again. Now she recognized her old playmate, but no wonder she hadn't realized it earlier; Katara looked so different! She wore her hair down now, though she still had hair loopies and a bun in the back. Katara was taller and had a look of cleanliness that she had lacked as Ozai's slave. Mai felt a ripple of envy as she looked the girl over. Katara was beautiful now; and judging by her combed hair and clean blue clothes, it seemed that she had fared much better than Mai in recent years. No wonder Azula was angry; if it annoyed Mai, Azula simply would not be able to stand it – the fact that the tide had turned, and the girl she used to order around had been more fortunate than she.

"Are you insane?" Sokka cried.

"You know us! We're cons, just like you!" Azula yanked on his shirt, ripping the front open and revealing a tattoo: 24601. Sokka gasped and quickly pulled up the tatters of his shirt, trying to hide the tattoo.

Zuko sprinted over and pulled Azula away from the man. She fell back, but Ozai threw himself at Zuko. Katara finally spotted a source of water – someone stood in the front door of a small building and dumped a bucket of liquid into the street. She bended the water into a whip and lashed out at Ozai, but some of the other thieves rushed to defend their leader. A full fight was breaking out, with Sokka, Katara, and Zuko against about half a dozen Fire Nation thieves.

Aang, Toph, and The Duke were watching the skirmish from the sidelines. "They need help!" Aang exclaimed.

"We need a distraction," Toph said.

The Duke looked around, and then grinned. He quickly led his friends over to a cart full of cabbage heads, whose owner had his back turned to the cart as he spoke with a customer. Together the trio pushed the cart in the direction of the fight.

"Look out!" Mai shouted. The fighters dispersed a bit as the cart came rushing at them; Katara and Zuko were knocked down; and then the cart turned on its side and dumped produce all over the street.

"My cabbages!" the vendor cried.

Katara strained her neck to look behind her. Zuko had caught her in his arms. The two locked eyes for a long moment, surprised to be caught so close. Katara knew Zuko by sight; she had seen him around the University of Ba Sing Se. Toph had told her that Zuko had a crush on her; and ever since then Katara had been wary and shy whenever she saw him. Sometimes, in those rare instances when they happened to glimpse each other, she considered simply walking up and introducing herself to him, but it seemed too random, and she always hurried away as she lost her nerve.

"Are you all right?" Zuko breathed; Katara felt his warm breath on her face.

"I'm fine," she answered. "You?"

"I've never been better." Zuko's tone was completely serious.

They sat up slowly, causing cabbage heads to roll around them. They could hear people shouting around them, but the two of them were in their own little world. Zuko kneeled next to Katara, not wanting to get up and part right away. "I've seen you around here before –" he began.

"It's the Dai Li!" Mai yelled. "Run for it!"

Sokka heard her and felt the familiar sensation that the bottom of his stomach had dropped. It was the feeling he got whenever he saw Long Feng.

Sure enough, he heard that sickening, oily voice behind him. Sokka got to his feet and tried to keep his face down while surveying the scene. The cabbage merchant was pulling Long Feng over. "Those thieves were trying to rob this man!"

Azula and Ozai's gang tried to make a break for it, but Long Feng and two other agents accompanying him quickly bended the earth beneath them, and the firebenders sank waist-deep into the ground.

"Katara!" Sokka came rushing over to her, looking panicked and urgent. He grabbed Katara's hand, ruining Zuko's chance to help her up. "Katara, we have to leave. Now!" And with that Sokka led Katara back through the crowd; she glanced over her shoulder at Zuko, casting him a sad and confused look, before she disappeared.

Long Feng looked around in confusion. "Where's the man gone? And why did he run?"

Azula spoke up, her voice full of contempt. "He's the one you should arrest. He's a convict – he has a prison number tattooed on his chest."

"Really?" Long Feng turned to look at her with renewed interest. "Do you happen to know the number?"

"I saw it just now. 24601."

Long Feng inhaled sharply. "So it's him!" he murmured. "My old enemy. Sokka of the Water Tribe … and the girl with him was the one he wanted to rescue. Our paths cross again! Fate is giving me another chance!"

"Ahem." Azula waved at the earthbender to get his attention. "In the absence of a victim," she said slyly, "may we go? And when you've caught him, remember it was I who told you about him."

"Very well." Long Feng stomped his foot, releasing the firebenders from the earth. He didn't stop them from melting into the shadowy alleys. He had more important things to worry about; it was better to arrest a long-time wanted fugitive than a few petty small-time criminals. He needed to see justice done. What a fool the man was, to think he could evade the law for good; his awaiting punishment was as natural and sequential was the order of the stars. Long Feng vowed to himself – not for the first time, but now with a rekindled determination – that he would not rest until he saw Sokka behind bars.

Long Feng and the agents left the square, and the three children emerged from their hiding place in a narrow alley. Toph folded her arms. "That Dai Li guy thinks he's something. He acts like he owns the city."

The Duke pointed his finger at his chest. "We're the ones who run this ring!"

Aang spoke up. "Toph, we should go back to the Upper Ring – before your parents realize you've been gone. And The Duke, don't you have to meet the other Freedom Fighters?"

The Duke slapped his forehead. "I forgot! I'll see you guys later!" He turned to leave, but then he glanced around the square, looking for someone who had been forgotten. "Zuko, aren't you coming?"

"In a little while," Zuko said distractedly. "There's something I need to do first."

The Duke shrugged and ran off down an alley. Toph smirked at Zuko. "So, did you and Katara get acquainted?"

"No!" Zuko ran his hand through his shaggy hair. "I can't believe it! I finally had a chance to talk to her, and then she just disappears!"

Toph shook her head in disbelief. "You're hopeless."

Aang grinned at his friend. "Good luck, Zuko." Then he turned to Toph. "Come on, I'll walk you home."

Toph frowned, and her expression became stony. "I don't need an escort."

"No – I just wanted to be with you," Aang said, and then blushed at how lame that sounded. Toph's expression softened a little, but she still looked somewhat confused. She shrugged, and she and Aang started off to the Upper Ring.

Zuko looked around the square and spotted Mai off by herself. "Mai – do you know that girl, the one whose father Azula attacked?"

"Yes, I know her," Mai said slowly. "Why?"

"Mai, you know how you said you know a lot? Well, it's true – I'm book smart, you're street smart. If anyone can find her address, it's you. Please, find that girl for me. I'm asking you as a friend."

A friend. Mai knew she should be glad that Zuko counted her as a friend; but at the same time she was saddened as she realized Zuko had never seen her as more than a friend. And now he liked Katara. Mai wondered if the Spirits enjoyed tormenting her.

Mai sighed. "All right, I'll do it." She wanted to please Zuko, even though in this case doing so would mean helping him pursue another girl. "Only – will you give me something in return?"

"Absolutely."

Mai smiled slyly at this.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I found out that in Victor Hugo's novel, Marius and Cosette fall in love over the course of several months. This is markedly different from the musical, which has them bump into each other, fall in love at first sight, meet in secret, and seemingly be forced to part, all in a single day. I thought the book's way was more realistic; I'm not a fan of "love at first sight." It seems too artificial and impulsive – no offense to anyone who likes it or writes about it. I'm only mentioning my opinion because that's part of the reason why it takes a while for characters in my other stories to develop relationships.

In case you're wondering, Zuko does not have his scar at this point. And if you're curious about Sokka's age now, here's my estimate: He was about fifteen when he stole the bag of rice; he spent almost twenty years in prison; ten years passed before he adopted Katara; and now another ten years have passed. This makes his age about … 55 years old, at this point in the story. I'm sorry if you don't like imagining Sokka as middle-aged; I couldn't think of anyone else who could play the role of Jean Valjean in this story.


	10. The Red and Black Cafe

_Published July 23, 2011_

Several blocks away, a teenage girl quietly entered a little teashop. It wasn't bad for a Lower Ring business, but she wasn't interested in buying tea. Instead of taking a seat and looking at the menu, she made a beeline for the Pai-Sho table in the corner, where a tall boy with shaggy black hair sat, chewing on a piece of straw.

Smellerbee sat down opposite from the boy. "May I have this game?" she asked formally.

"The guest has the first move," Jet said, gesturing to the game board. Smellerbee looked over the pieces carefully, and then moved a white lotus tile.

"I see you favor the white lotus gambit," Jet said slyly. "Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

Smellerbee smiled. "Those who do can always find a friend."

"Then let us play."

The game went by quickly. The two players moved their tiles rapidly, barely waiting until the other person had made their move. When the game ended in a tie, the tiles were arranged in the shape of a lotus flower.

"Welcome, sister." Jet stood up. "The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets."

Smellerbee stood and followed Jet to a door in the back of the shop. He knocked on the door, and a little wooden panel swung open. Pipsqueak bent down to look out the window. "Who knocks at the guarded gate?"

Smellerbee replied, "One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries."

The panel closed. A moment later the door swung open for them, and Smellerbee entered the secret room. Lu Ten, Sneers, The Duke, and Pipsqueak were already there, seated on a couple crates of blasting jelly. Longshot came over and took her by the hand, leading her to a small table set with tea and cups, courtesy of Lu Ten's father, Zuko's uncle, the teashop owner. It was Zuko who had offered to use his uncle's teashop as a meeting place; they were both sympathetic to the Freedom Fighters' cause.

Jet closed the door behind him and locked it securely. "I don't know where Zuko is," he said, looking at the assembled Freedom Fighters. "He should be here by now. I guess we'll have to start without him. Pipsqueak, your report?"

"The Water Tribe warriors are storing weapons at the Zoo. Clubs, spears, boomerangs, shields."

"The tide is turning," Lu Ten reported. "Ba Sing Se is coming to our side."

"The time is near," Jet said. "But don't let the excitement get to your heads! It's easy to swat soldiers like flies, but the Dai Li will be harder to fight – and hardly anyone will dare to stand up to them."

"What are you saying?" Sneers asked.

"We need a sign," Jet said. "Something to rally the people, call them to our side."

Suddenly there was a loud pounding on the door. The Freedom Fighters froze, exchanging concerned and frightened glances. Jet dutifully got up and went to the door, looking through the panel before letting the person in. Zuko burst into the room, panting, his skin even paler than usual.

"Zuko, you're late," Jet said shortly.

"You look like you've seen a spirit," Pipsqueak said.

"Was it the Painted Lady?" The Duke asked eagerly.

Smellerbee poured him a cup of tea. "Come on, Zuko, have some tea and tell us what's up."

Zuko did as he was told; his mind was still out of focus, puzzling over what had just occurred. He sat down by the small tea table, looking absentmindedly at the teacup Smellerbee passed him. "A spirit – maybe. She was just like one – there one minute, gone the next, with no explanation. Actually, the only times I've ever seen her were when I didn't expect it, and then she was gone …" Zuko shook his head and took a sip of tea.

The Freedom Fighters exchanged glances, and then burst out laughing. "I don't believe it!" Sneers exclaimed, smiling wickedly. "Zuko's fallen in love!"

"Oh, it's been coming on for a while," Lu Ten said casually. "Toph told me Zuko had been asking about that waterbender girl, and then Toph made a point of telling the girl herself –"

"What?" Zuko rounded on his cousin. "Toph told her that – that I like her? _Before_ what happened today?"

"Yeah, it must have been a month or two ago."

Zuko ran his hand through his hair. "So – so she already knew who I am?"

Smellerbee rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I think he just said that."

Pipsqueak regarded Zuko thoughtfully. "I've never seen you like this before." The Freedom Fighters knew Zuko to be calm, cool, and confident when facing danger. But when it came to Katara, he was nervous and unsure of himself.

"It's time for us all to decide who we are," Jet said with conviction. He looked at each of his friends in turn, as though challenging them. "Have you asked yourselves what's the price you'll pay? Are these secret meetings just a game to you? Or are you willing to sacrifice everything so others can be free, and have a chance to live?"

Everyone was silent as Jet's words sank in. He gestured to a cloth pinned onto the wall of the secret room. "Remember why we chose these colors for our flag? Red, the blood of angry men, the dawn about to come. Black, the dark of the old ages, and the night that's finally going to end."

Zuko looked at the flag, but with Katara still on his mind, the colors meant different things to him. Red was the color of desire; black was the color of despair.

The Freedom Fighters felt the earth tremble beneath them, but it did not seem to disturb anyone. Suddenly a hold opened up in the dirt floor, and Toph and Aang came crawling out.

"Do we have enough ammunition? Are we ready to start this revolution?" Lu Ten asked.

"Listen!" Aang said, trying to get the Freedom Fighters' attention.

Smellerbee spoke up. "We have star daggers by the box."

"Are you deaf?" Toph demanded. Aang knew she must be very frustrated to have asked such a rhetorical question; she was blind herself, and would have taken it as an insult if anyone ever asked her sarcastically, "Are you blind?"

"I still think we should use the blasting jelly," Pipsqueak said.

"LISTEN EVERYBODY!" Toph screamed. The Freedom Fighters fell dead silent. Aang took a breath and announced solemnly, "King Kuei is dead."

Everyone was silent as the Freedom Fighters absorbed the news.

The Duke came over to his friends. "When did this happen?" he asked.

"Just a little while ago," Toph answered. "The news is spreading through the Upper Ring – I overheard a messenger tell my parents. We snuck out right away – I thought you guys should know as soon as possible."

Jet nodded his thanks. When he spoke, his voice grave and determined. "Kuei is dead. The people's man, the champion of the poor. His death is the sign! This is the rallying point we need! The spark that will kindle the flame." He turned to Toph. "When's his funeral?"

"In a few days," Aang said.

"That's when our revolution will take place! At his funeral they will honor his name. Like us, the people will be upset and want to fight back. We'll build up a barricade in the town square." Jet stood as if to leave, and the others followed suit. "Sneers, you go to the Water Tribe warriors, and tell them our plan. The rest of you, spread the news around the Lower Ring that Kuei is dead and we're going to strike. We'll need all the help we can get."

"You can count me in," Toph said confidently.

Zuko frowned. He didn't like the idea of the kids participating in a battle, if you could call it that. "You're from the Upper Ring. We're fighting for the poor people's rights. This isn't your fight."

"I hate the Dai Li as much as you do," Toph argued. "You guys are my friends. I fight with you."

Aang stepped forward. "If you're going, I'm going."

Toph smiled her thanks. Aang hesitated, then leaned over and kissed Toph on the cheek. Before she could react, he slipped out the door of the secret room, following Jet and the others.

Smellerbee smiled at Toph's bewilderment. "This is so sweet!" she said, her voice dripping with sweet sarcasm. "You and Aang, Zuko and Katara, Longshot and me …"

"Triple date?" Lu Ten suggested with a wicked smile.

Toph blushed furiously; but Zuko could tell she was secretly pleased.


	11. One Day More

_Published August 1, 2011_

**Author's Note:** Again, I took some dialogue from the 1998 film _Les Miserables_ (directed by Bille August, screenplay by Rafael Yglesias), this time for Sokka and Katara's (Jean Valjean and Cosette's) argument. The rest is based on the musical by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil.

* * *

><p>"Why don't we go for a walk?" Katara asked a few days later. The evening was drawing near, but it was still light out.<p>

"No, I'm tired." It was true, Sokka was often tired these days, but he also didn't want to go outside and chance seeing Long Feng again. He couldn't believe that he had seen the man again, after so many years. But now that it had happened, he felt certain that their paths would cross again.

"Why don't you lie down?" Katara suggested. "I think I'll go to the university." Maybe she would see Zuko, and actually talk to him this time …

Sokka sat up straight. "What? Alone?"

"I'm going to have to walk alone someday."

"Someday, not today."

Katara put her hands on her hips, exasperated. Sokka had always been fairly strict, but sometimes he seemed just paranoid. "It's only a short walk from here –"

"Are you disobeying me? I'm your father!"

They glowered at each other for a moment. Then Sokka gestured to the kitchen. "Come on, let's eat." Together they made a simple meal, with rice and vegetables and tea. Sokka took out some spark rocks and lit the candles in the two silver candlesticks, his prized possessions. No matter how often they moved or where they lived, Sokka always brought the candlesticks, and put them in a place of honor.

They ate in silence for a few minutes.

"You're not, you know," Katara said quietly, stirring her food with her chopsticks.

"Not what?"

"You're not my father. You never said you were, until just now. That was the very first time you said it."

Sokka stared down at his plate of food. "You're right."

"Well?" Katara looked at him expectantly. "Are you my father?"

Sokka reached across the table and put his hand over Katara's. "I promised your mother I'd take care of you."

They both fell silent at the mention of Katara's mother. They spoke very little of her. Sokka had explained that he couldn't tell Katara much about her because he'd only known her for a short time, and hadn't gotten to know her personally. He only said that her name was Kya, she had loved Katara very much, and she had left her necklace for Katara to have.

"I know you think I worry too much," Sokka said apologetically. "But strangers can be dangerous …"

"All right! Forget it," Katara snapped.

Sokka blinked. "What's the matter?"

"I don't want to hear that speech again." Katara's eyes flashed, dangerous and … hurt, perhaps? "You're hiding something from me."

Sokka tried to act normal. "Katara –"

"I know there's something shameful. Is it me?"

"No!"

"Or you? You have a shameful secret." Katara shrugged. "Maybe it's both of us. It doesn't matter. I can't go out by myself or talk to people, and we never have anyone over … You want me with you all the time, day and night, because you're lonely, and you want me to be alone forever!"

Sokka buried his face in his hands. How could he explain without burdening Katara with the awful truth of their pasts? He didn't want her to be ashamed of him, or her parents, or herself.

Sokka looked up at her mournfully. "You're right. I'm not your father. I don't …" He swallowed, trying to keep his voice from cracking. "I just want to protect you, that's all. The world isn't a safe place – believe me. You're the only person I have. This is the only way I know how to do it. I'm sorry."

Katara only nodded helplessly. Then she stood and promptly hugged Sokka. He held her tightly, and for a moment he wished he could turn back time and hold the little girl he'd adopted. But Katara was older and becoming more independent. She was so strong-willed and spirited. He would hate to dampen that spirit with the knowledge that he mother had been a whore, her birth father a good-for-nothing layabout, and her adopted father a convict. No, she couldn't know. But would Sokka be able to protect her from the truth forever?

When Katara released him she went over to the back door. "I'm just going to read in the garden – if that's all right."

"That's fine. I'll be in here."

* * *

><p>"This is it?" Zuko looked up the street at the house where Katara and her father lived.<p>

"I'm sure of it," Mai said.

Zuko could hardly believe he was going to see Katara again, and actually talk to her, tell her how he felt about her. And it was all thanks to Mai for finding her address. "Mai, I don't know how to thank you."

"I do. Remember, you promised to give me something in return if I helped you find where she lives?"

"Ah, right." Zuko smiled apologetically.

Mai had butterflies in her stomach. Was this to be it – the moment of her first kiss? She was about to lean forward when Zuko started rummaging in his pocket, groping around for something. Finally he produced his last copper piece, pressed it into Mai's hand and closed her fingers around it. He held onto her hand with both of his. "Thank you, Mai."

Mai's eyes flickered to Zuko's sincere expression, then disappointedly to the coin in her hand. After a moment she dropped it onto the ground. "I don't want your money."

Zuko looked confused, but he shrugged. He had other things to think about. He glanced at the house, and then caught a glimpse of movement behind the building. Mai followed him around to a garden with a tall trellis wall. He peered through the trellis, and there she was. Katara was sitting on a stone bench, reading a scroll, and every now and then she looked up and stared off into space, daydreaming.

Mai had never seen Zuko so nervous. "Do you want me to go in first?" Mai offered.

Zuko looked relieved. "Would you? Oh, Mai, you're the best!"

Mai smiled, a bittersweet smile. She knew Zuko meant well, and she relished the compliment, but it wasn't intended the way she wanted.

She reached her thin arm through a hole in the trellis, and unlatched the gate from the inside. Katara looked up, startled, as Mai swung the gate open and entered the garden. It was a peaceful place, full of beautiful flowers, and a tiered fountain in the center where Katara could practice waterbending.

The two girls looked at each other. "I don't know if you remember me," Mai began hesitantly.

Katara's eyes widened. She did remember. "Mai," she said. She didn't sound angry – just surprised. She put her scroll down on the bench beside her and stood up. Then, to Mai's surprise, Katara threw her arms around her, laughing. Mai wasn't much of a hugger, but she smiled to herself and laughed a little.

"It's so good to see you again!" Katara said sincerely. She stepped back to look at Mai.

"You look well." They both knew that was an understatement; in terms of wealth and happiness, they had completely switched places. Last time it had been Katara who was in rags and Mai who was dressed in finery.

"What are you doing here?" Katara asked curiously.

"I brought a friend. He wants to see you."

Katara sucked in her breath. _He_. There was only one person she could think of – and it made sense, because Katara had seen Mai with him that day Ozai tried to rob her and Sokka.

"Shall I bring him in?" Mai said.

"Oh – yes!"

Mai turned back and opened the gate for Zuko. Katara tried to smooth her hair back, feeling a little silly.

Zuko walked in slowly. "Hi," he said, holding up his hand in greeting.

"Hi," Katara replied automatically.

"Well," Mai said briskly, "I'll leave you two alone. It was nice seeing you, Katara."

"Likewise," Katara said with a smile. Mai returned it halfheartedly. She went outside the garden, but stayed hidden behind the trellis to hear their conversation.

Zuko looked at Katara in surprise. "You know Mai?"

"We were children together," Katara explained. "I worked at the inn that Mai's family ran."

"Oh."

They stood awkwardly for a moment. "Er – why don't you sit down?" Katara said, trying to sound like a good hostess.

They sat down together on the stone bench. Zuko looked agitated. He sighed. "I'm sorry – I'm doing this all wrong – I haven't even introduced myself. I wanted to, every time I saw you in town, but I never had the nerve …"

Katara laughed, a musical sound, like water bubbling. "I felt the same way!"

"My name is Zuko." There; he had told her.

"I'm Katara."

"Katara …" He liked that name, the way it sounded, the way it tasted on his tongue. "It's nice to finally meet you."

They were both quiet; then Katara said, "Thanks for catching me the other day." She blushed a little; that was a lame thing to say, but at least it was something.

"You're welcome," Zuko replied. "I'm only sorry I didn't get a chance to talk to you then."

"So … what do you want to talk about?"

Zuko thought for a moment. "Tell me everything."

"Everything?"

"About you."

Katara smiled sheepishly. "There's nothing to tell. I was an orphan. I worked for Mai's parents, and her friend Azula's father. Then my father, Kuzon, adopted me. He's a very good man – I grew up in his love. We moved around a lot, but his love was my home. We came to Ba Sing Se a few years ago. And then I met you."

Zuko raised his eyebrows at her. "That doesn't sound like 'nothing to tell.'"

She laughed. "Your turn. Tell me about yourself," Katara said.

Zuko grinned, shrugging one shoulder. "I don't know what to tell you. I'm just a poor student. I'm on a scholarship at the University of Ba Sing Se. I've been staying with my uncle and my older cousin in the Lower Ring, and I work at their teashop to earn money."

"You're a revolutionary, aren't you? That's so brave," Katara said. Aang and Toph had told her about the Freedom Fighters' efforts to bring the government's attention to the poor people.

Zuko looked concerned. "You're not thinking of joining up, are you?" He didn't want Katara to be put in harm's way. The Freedom Fighters sometimes forgot how dangerous the coming revolution would be.

Katara shook her head. "No. I want to help people, but my father would never allow it. He's overprotective as it is." She giggled, feeling a bit giddy.

"What?" Zuko asked, wondering if he had said or done something to make her laugh.

"I was just thinking – what will my father think, if he finds me out in the garden with a strange boy? I can't remember the last time I did something this sneaky."

Zuko laughed too. "I guess I shouldn't stay long, then. I don't want to get you in trouble."

Katara looked uncertain. Now that she finally had a chance to talk to Zuko, the last thing she wanted was for him to leave so soon. "My father will have to meet you eventually."

Zuko blinked. "He will?"

"Well – if –" Katara faltered, trying to find the right words. "If we're going to be seeing each other – I mean – if you want to see me, or if I go out to see you – he'll need some explanation."

Zuko grinned broadly. "So, you do want to go out?"

"Are you asking me out?"

"It sounded like you were suggesting it."

Katara pressed the palm of her hand to her forehead, laughing a little. "We're a pretty confused pair, aren't we?"

"We only had a confusing start. I don't feel confused now," Zuko said truthfully. He leaned forward and kissed Katara. She returned the kiss, thrilling, but after a moment she put her hand on Zuko's shoulder to steady herself and gently pulled away.

"As much as I'd like to, I don't want my father to find me in the garden kissing a boy he doesn't know." They smiled at each other, still leaning close.

Mai watched the couple from behind the trellis. She felt a lump in her throat, tears in her eyes, an aching inside her chest. She felt a little bit angry with herself for feeling this way; she had known all along that Zuko only liked her as a friend, and that he was too high up to be with a beggar like her. Still, it hurt to see him fall in love with another girl – particularly someone she knew – and to tell her words that he would never say to Mai.

She heard voices nearby. Bending low, Mai crept to the end of the fenced garden and looked around the corner. There, in the alley next to Katara's house, were Mai's father, Azula, and Ozai.

"This is it," Mai heard Azula say. "I've seen these folks around. Ten years ago the old man came and paid for Katara. It's time we settled the debt!"

Mai's mind was racing. If they robbed Katara's house, Katara and Zuko would think she was in on it too. She couldn't let that happen – Zuko's trust meant everything to her. She had to warn them.

Mai's father came around the back, surveying the house. She gasped when he saw her. "Who's this then?" he said.

"It's your brat Mai. Don't you recognize your own child?" Ozai hissed.

"Keep your voices down!" Azula said sharply, before turning to her friend. "Mai, go home. You're not needed here, three's enough for one house." Really she didn't want to have to split the profits another way.

"I'm telling you, I know this house," Mai said. "There's nothing here for you to steal; just the old man and the girl. They live ordinary lives."

"Don't interfere!" Ozai snapped.

"She's going soft," Azula scoffed.

"Go home, you're in the way here," her father said.

Mai felt anger rising inside her. Somehow it made her feel a bit braver. "I'm going to scream, I'll warn them you're here," she threatened.

"What?" her father cried in disbelief.

"You'll regret that!" Ozai promised darkly.

Azula's face was hard. "I never expected this from you," she told Mai. "The thing I don't understand is – why?"

Mai shrugged. "I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you."

"Enough of this!" Mai's father exclaimed. "Come on!"

"Well, I told you I'd do it," Mai said grimly. She opened her mouth and let out a blood-chilling scream.

Her father looked terrified. It was Ozai who commanded, "Head for the catacombs, don't wait around here!"

Azula glared at Mai. "You will regret this night. I'll make you really scream!" Then she followed the men into the shadowy back alleys.

The gate opened, and Zuko hurried out, looking pale and shaken. Katara stood behind him, holding the gate open. "We heard you scream, and then they left," Katara said.

"Mai, you've saved the day again," Zuko said.

They heard a noise from inside the house. "It's my father!" Katara said, looking terrified. "You two, get out of here!" She closed the gate behind Zuko.

Mai and Zuko crouched down behind the trellis, watching as Sokka came into the garden. "Great Spirits, Katara, what happened?" he asked. "I heard a cry, and then shouting –"

"That was my cry you heard," Katara lied. "I saw some men in the street, and I was afraid of what they'd do."

Sokka sat down on the bench looking exhausted. Katara sat down next to him, and he pulled her into a hug. He was so relieved that she was all right.

_Must be Long Feng_, Sokka thought, terror swelling within him. _He's found my cover at last. I've got to get Katara away before he comes to get me_.

"Tomorrow we'll leave," Sokka said. Katara pulled away from him, looking startled. "We'll go to Omashu, or someplace small like Kyoshi Island – somewhere with a lower crime rate." Katara opened her mouth to protest, but Sokka said, "Katara, please, don't argue with me. Just get ready to leave. It's time to close another door and live another day." He stood and led her back inside the house.

Behind the trellis, Mai and Zuko exchanged glances. Mai felt a surge of sympathy when she saw Zuko's horrified expression. "I don't believe this," he murmured. "Just when I found her, now I'm going to lose her!"

Mai didn't say anything, but squeezed Zuko's arm reassuringly.

Zuko ran his hand through his hair. "What am I going to do?"

Mai blinked at him. "What do you mean? Are you going to follow her?

Zuko shook his head, wondering what to do. Should he go after Katara? Or should he join his friends at the barricade as planned? He had promised his friends that he would go with them, even though he might lose his life.

He would stay here in Ba Sing Se. That was where he was needed the most. His place was here; he would fight alongside his friends.

* * *

><p>That night, everyone in Ba Sing Se was anticipating the coming day.<p>

Sokka prayed that he could have more time with Katara, that he could live free just a little longer.

Katara and Zuko contemplated what their lives would be like now, after finding love and having to leave it behind.

Mai was dreading having to spend another day with Zuko not knowing how she felt about him. And what if he died at the barricade? What would she do then?

Jet, Lu Ten, and the Freedom Fighters were excitedly preparing for the revolution.

Ozai and Azula were looking forward to scavenging the battlefield, picking out valuables from fallen soldiers.

Long Feng was collaborating with General Mung and the Dai Li in preparation for the battle they knew would come eventually. Long Feng decided he would join the revolutionary students as a double agent, spy on them and feed them false information.

Tension was mounting in more ways than one. All that was needed was a spark to trigger the explosion.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I did some research about the differences between the musical and Victor Hugo's novel, as well as Eponine's role in both. The thing about Eponine refusing Marius' coin was in the book, not the musical, but I thought it was interesting and decided to include it.


	12. The Painted Lady

_Published August 6, 2011_

The spark came that very night.

When she was sure Sokka had fallen asleep, Katara put some pillows under her quilt, to make it look like she was still in bed. Then she retrieved a bag from her closet, opened her bedroom window and slipped outside, grabbing onto a gutter. She climbed down into the garden below.

Katara dumped the bag's contents onto the ground. Hiding in the bushes, she changed into the ragged purple gown. Then she bended some water out of the fountain and froze it on the ground to make a mirror. She painted red streaks on her arms and cheeks, and a gold crescent moon on her forehead. She finished off with a wide conical hat, its diaphanous white veil falling around her head.

Katara smiled at her reflection in the ice. Wearing her disguise, she felt every bit the mysterious water spirit that The Duke believed helped the poor of the Lower Ring. She felt empowered, fearless.

She carefully unlatched the gate, slipped out of the garden and closed the gate behind her. Katara was trying to be quiet, but the noise disturbed a little flying lemur that had been sleeping in the alley below. He chattered at her, and she glanced around nervously before heading down the street.

The lemur turned and went back to his owner's apartment. He landed on Aang's head, waking the boy up. "What is it, Momo?" Aang asked groggily. He reluctantly got out of bed and followed the lemur to the window; he saw a shadow moving in the street.

Aang's eyes widened. "It's her!" The Duke had been right after all! Fully awake and energized now, Aang ran out the door and waved to the figure. "Hello, Painted Lady spirit!"

Katara was shocked when she heard Aang's voice. Not knowing what else to do, she took off running down the street.

Aang chased after her, wondering if it was possible that the benevolent spirit could help them during the revolution the next day. "Excuse me," he called out. "I don't mean to bother you, but my friends and I are going to need help tomorrow …" He stopped when he reached the riverbank. The Painted Lady was gliding across the polluted Jang Hui River, leaving a trail of mist in her wake. Aang bended the water into patches of ice that he could jump on to, forming a trail across the river.

On the opposite river bank, Katara hid behind a large rock, trying to catch her breath. Aang was very determined – just like her, she thought with a wry smile. But she didn't have much time; she had to hurry. She turned around – and came face-to-face with Aang.

"My name's Aang," he said. "I'm the Avatar."

Katara kept her head tilted forward, hoping the hat would block her face; maybe, just maybe, Aang wouldn't recognize her. "Well, hello, Avatar," she said in a heavily accented voice. "I wish I could talk, but I am very busy."

"Yeah, me too. I hate that." Aang bent down, trying to peek under the brim of her hat. "You know, you're really pretty for a spirit."

Katara chuckled nervously. "Thank you, but …"

"You seem familiar, too," Aang said, sounding a little suspicious.

"A lot of people say that," Katara said loftily, but it sounded a little lame.

"No, you _really_ seem familiar."

"Look, I really should be going …" Katara turned to leave, but Aang sent a burst of air at her, blowing her hat off. She frantically pulled it back on, but Aang had already seen her face.

Aang's eyes widened in surprise. "Katara?"

Her shoulders sagged. "Hi Aang," she said, sounding defeated.

"_You're_ the Painted Lady? But how …" Aang trailed off, mystified.

"I wasn't at first – I was just trying to help the folks in the Lower Ring and in Jang Hui. But since everyone thought that's who I was anyway … I guess I just kind of became her."

Aang looked at Katara in awe, with something that might have been respect. "So you've been sneaking out at night." He looked down at the ground. "I can't believe you lied to your father so you could help these people."

Katara bowed her head, looking slightly ashamed. "I know I shouldn't have."

Aang looked up. "No, I think it's great!" he said, smiling encouragingly. "You're like … a secret hero."

Katara perked up a little at this. "Well, if you want to help … there's one more thing I have to do. Before I leave tomorrow."

* * *

><p>They climbed up the sloping bank to the smelting factory, which had closed for the night but was still pumped pollution into the river.<p>

"You want to destroy the factory?" Aang asked. It was a daunting and rebellious task.

"Yes," Katara said firmly. "Toph was just kidding, but she's right. Getting rid of this factory is the only way to help these people permanently."

They ran in through the main entrance – those overconfident Fire Nation soldiers hadn't even put in a door. They surveyed the area before splitting up to cover more ground.

Katara bended a stream of water and sliced it through the metal hooks on the ceiling that held pots of molten metal. The vessels came crashing down, setting fire to the wooden barrels on the floor.

Aang followed her example. He went up to a high platform and turned a pot sideways, spilling its hot contents onto the floor. Next, he jumped down to an area crowded with pipes full of steam. Aang took a deep breath, raising his hands up to his head, and bended the air in the pipes, causing them to burst and release jets of steam.

Katara stood on a platform, her back to the large glass windows, looking down at the expansive room below her. She moved her arms in a fluid motion, summoning water from the river. Water came rushing in, breaking the glass windows and soon flooding the factory.

Aang followed Katara out of the building, just before there was an explosion in the main hall. They saw that the pipes outside had stopped pouring the toxic waste into the river.

"We did it!" Katara said happily, feeling satisfied and accomplished.

"That was fun," Aang said naughtily.

Together they crossed over the river back into Ba Sing Se.

"Thanks for helping me," Katara said on their way back to their neighborhood.

"No problem." Aang stopped at an intersection, jerking his thumb at a side street. "I'm going this way. I need to meet the others at the barricade."

"And Zuko will be there?"

"Yes."

Katara thought for a moment. She wanted to give Zuko something of hers. Something meaningful, something to remember her by … but what? She fiddled with her necklace absentmindedly, and then realized what she was doing. Taking a deep breath, she undid the clasp of the necklace, took it off and pressed it into Aang's hand. "Give this to Zuko for me. It belonged to my mother. Tell him I love him, and I'll be praying for him the whole time."

Aang nodded solemnly. The two friends hugged each other. "Be careful," Katara said. "Tell Toph I said hello, and tell everyone good luck."

"I will. Good-bye."

* * *

><p>It was after dawn when Katara returned to her house. She slipped back into the garden, changed into her regular clothes, and climbed up the gutter into her room.<p>

Sokka was waiting for her there, his hands on his hips and a furious expression on his face.

"Kuzon!" Katara said nervously, trying to sound innocently surprised. "I was just … out on a morning walk," she said casually.

Sokka raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, really? A _morning walk_?" Sokka stomped over to Katara's bed and yanked the sheet up, revealing the pillows she had stuck there. Katara cringed.

"I know you're the Painted Lady!" Sokka exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Katara. "I know you've been sneaking out at night, and I know you've been lying to me!"

Katara's eyes flashed angrily. "Well, then we're even! I know you keep secrets and lie to me!"

Sokka's mouth moved, but no sound came out. Then he protested, "That's completely different! I'm trying to protect you – and now you may have ruined all my efforts! Katara, what you did put our family's safety in jeopardy. All the Dai Li needs is an excuse to arrest us! But I won't give them the chance. We're leaving right now."

Katara set her jaw and quietly and resolutely began packing her things, determined not to acknowledge Sokka's presence.

"It was worth it," Katara muttered to herself.

Before Sokka could retort, a strange whirring sound vibrated in the air. Startled and curious, Katara and Sokka went over to a window facing the Jang Hui River in the distance.

A detachment of Fire Nation soldiers were racing down the river on jet skis, heading for the Lower Ring.

Sokka turned angrily to Katara. "_What did you do?_" he demanded.

Katara closed her eyes. "I … kind of destroyed their factory," she confessed.

"You _what_?"

"I wanted to do something to help the people in the long run. That was _your_ idea!" Katara snapped.

"I was joking!" Sokka cried. "Did you even think this through? The Dai Li is going to blame the folks in the Lower Ring. They're headed there right now to punish them. And then the Freedom Fighters will finally launch the suicidal 'revolution' they've been planning."

Katara drew in her breath. She hadn't even thought about that. Of course the Freedom Fighters were collecting ammunition and building up barricades. But there still had to be a spark to start the violence. And it seemed that the destruction of the factory would be that spark. Now the Dai Li would unleash their wrath on the Lower Ring, and the Freedom Fighters would undoubtedly fight back. That meant everyone – Zuko, Toph, Aang, and Mai – was in danger.

"I'm so stupid," she moaned. "I … I was angry about us leaving, and I needed to get my anger out … and I figured it was my last chance to help these people, before we left … and now I may have just killed them!"

Sokka folded his arms. "So, do you still think it was worth it?"

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Katara snapped.

"Stay home! Do nothing!"

At these words, something snapped inside Katara. "No!" she shouted, her eyes glaring, dangerous and passionate. "I will never, _ever_ turn my back on people who need me!"

Sokka stared at the girl. No – he saw now that Katara was no longer a girl. She was becoming a young woman. She was strong-willed and spirited, and her desire to help people was just as great as Sokka's. For a moment Sokka was touched to see this aspect of himself in his adopted daughter.

Sokka smiled sadly. "You're more like me than I realized."

Katara sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "What am I going to do? What are _we_ going to do?"

Sokka glanced at the window again. "For now, we stay put," he decided. "It's too dangerous to leave now. Things are about to get violent."

Katara nodded in acceptance. Sokka put a comforting arm around her, and she leaned into his embrace.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: Cosette doesn't take part in much of the action in _Les Miserables_; in fact she doesn't appear in the second act until close to the end of the play. But I wanted Katara to play a more active role in the plot, so I was happy when I thought of incorporating the "Painted Lady" into my story. I'm having a great time writing this, I love how it is turning out. Please let me know what you think of it!


	13. Building the Barricade

_Published August 16, 2011_

While Katara and Sokka were reconciling, Aang headed to the main square of the Lower Ring, where the Freedom Fighters had built a barricade during the last hours of the night. Zuko and Lu Ten brought the weapons they had stored at the Jasmine Dragon. The Water Tribe warriors, led by Hakoda, arrived armed with spears, clubs, and boomerangs.

Toph's face lit up when she felt Aang's vibrations as he climbed up to the barricade. "Aang!" She came over and gave him a hug. He looked surprised at first, but then he hugged her back, holding her close. After a moment Aang released her and turned to Zuko.

"I just saw Katara," Aang began.

Zuko's eyes lit up – not with happiness, but with excitement and concern. "You did? You mean she hasn't left yet? Is she okay?"

"She's fine. She'll be leaving soon, I think. She told me to tell you that she loves you, and she wants you to have this." Aang held out his hand. " It belonged to her mother." He opened his fingers to reveal the blue stone necklace Katara always wore.

Zuko stepped back. "I can't accept –"

"I think she knew you would say that. That's why she wanted me to deliver it, instead of giving it to you personally," Aang explained shrewdly, handing it to Zuko. "It's like a warrior wearing his lady's colors."

Zuko looked at the necklace in his palm. He remembered seeing Katara wear it, every time he saw her. If only he could see her one more time … but at least he had been able to meet her, talk to her, and kiss her, even if it was only once.

Zuko put the necklace on his wrist, like a bracelet.

"She really cares about you," Toph said, sounding uncharacteristically serious, almost tender.

Zuko smiled. It wasn't a happy smile; he smiled from the impossible reality that the girl he had liked secretly for so long liked him back. Only now they would never be together.

Jet stood on top of a crate in the middle of the barricade to address the ragtag troops. "This is it, everyone," Jet said. "It's almost time. We don't know what or when, but the Dai Li will be coming soon."

"We need to find out what they're doing," Lu Ten said. "We need someone to give a report on the strength of our foe."

Long Feng stepped forward. He was wearing peasant garb to look like a member of the Lower Ring. The Freedom Fighters assumed he had come with the Water Tribesmen; the Water Tribe warriors thought he was with the Freedom Fighters; everyone assumed he was just another volunteer. "I can find out the truth," he offered. "I know the Dai Li. I know their ways; I even served my time." Technically he was not lying.

Toph thought this person seemed familiar - his voice, his vibrations - but she couldn't quite place it. But she knew he wasn't lying, so she didn't speak up.

Jet nodded his assent, and Long Feng climbed down from the barricade.

Zuko turned back to Aang and Toph. "I really think you guys ought to go," he said. "I know you're excited and want to help, but this is going to be dangerous."

But Toph was adamant. "We know the risks. We're not leaving you guys. You need benders like us."

Zuko pressed his lips in a thin line, but he nodded anyway. Aang and Toph went over to talk to The Duke. That's when Zuko noticed a figure standing off to the side, wearing a long robe over ragged clothes. The stranger wore a hat on their head, but a few long locks of black hair were falling out.

Zuko came over to the figure. "Mai, what in the Spirit World are you doing here?"

Mai smiled sheepishly, stuffing her hands in her pockets. "I know I shouldn't be here, but … I wanted to be with you."

"You've got to get out of here, Mai, before the trouble starts," Zuko said. "You could get hurt, or worse!"

Mai grinned. "Now I've got you worried, haven't I? That proves you like me a lot," she said cheekily, feeling strangely satisfied.

Zuko glared at her. Then his expression softened as an idea occurred to him. "Mai, can you do me a favor? I'm asking you as a friend. If I die today, this will be the last thing I can ask of you."

Mai blinked at him, all humor gone. "Sure, Zuko. Anything."

Zuko reached into his pocket and pulled out a small scroll, which he handed to Mai. "Give this letter to Katara – if she hasn't left already." He had planned to ask Aang or Toph or The Duke to do this, but they were dead set on fighting at the barricade.

Mai looked disappointed as she took the scroll from him. "Oh … all right."

"Thank you." Zuko hesitated. He knew this might be the last time he ever spoke to Mai. "Mai …"

She looked up hopefully. "Yes, Zuko?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I … I guess … I just …"

"Yes?"

"I just want to say … thanks, I guess. For everything. You've been a good friend to me, and you helped me find Katara. If I die today, then this is good-bye." He put his hand on her shoulder and gently pulled her into an embrace.

Mai held tightly to Zuko, pressing herself against him. She was glad he couldn't see her face; she didn't want him to see her cry. For a moment she wanted to tell him, straight out, that she was in love with him, since it might be her last chance; but what was the point now? Zuko was in love with Katara, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Zuko pulled back and held Mai at arm's length. He saw her blink back tears as she said, "Good-bye, Zuko."

"Good-bye, Mai." He took his hands off her shoulders, and Mai turned and climbed down the barricade.

Once she was back on the street, Mai fingered the scroll in her robe. For one spiteful moment she wondered if she should simply throw the letter away. But then she would be betraying two of her friends – if Katara counted as a friend. And as Zuko had said, this was the last thing he was asking of her. She had to deliver the letter.

Mai took her time walking down the streets to Katara's house. It was raining lightly, and a mist hovered all around. The rain made the paved street shine like silver, and all the city lights were misty in the Jang Hui River. Mai smiled. Azula had never understood why Mai liked the rain so much.

Mai closed her eyes, feeling the mist kiss her cheeks. For a moment she imagined Zuko was with her, his arms around her, his lips pressed against hers while the rain streaked down their faces …

Thinking of Zuko gave Mai a warm, happy feeling. Spirits, she loved Zuko. But every day she was learning that having a relationship with him was nothing more than a fantasy. Without Mai, Zuko's world would keep on turning – a world full of happiness that she would never know.

But without Zuko in her life, Mai's whole world looked different, stranger and colder. She shook her head. What would she do if Zuko died today?

Mai was distracted from her thoughts when she came up to Katara's house. Sokka saw her through the window, and went to the door to meet her. He opened the door a crack, almost hiding behind it. "Yes?" he said, sounding wary and apprehensive.

"I have a letter here addressed to your daughter, Katara." She held up the scroll. "It's from a boy at the barricade in the Lower Ring."

If Sokka was surprised at all, he did not show it. "Give me that letter here."

"I was told to give it to Katara."

Sokka nodded. "You have my word she'll receive this." Reluctantly Mai handed him the scroll. Sokka dug into his pocket and gave her a silver coin. "Now go home, and stay out of sight." He glanced around furtively. "There's danger in the streets now."

Mai pocketed the coin and, wondering where she should go now, walked away down the riverbank.

Sokka stayed outside for a minute to read the letter. He unrolled the scroll and stared at the message.

_Dear Katara,_

_I don't know if I will be alive when you read this. I keep thinking of little things that I wanted to tell you and may not be able to. I'm not really good at expressing my feelings, but I'll do my best._

_I always thought you were beautiful. But that's not why I fell in love with you. I saw you giving food and coins to the beggars in the Lower Ring; I knew you were uncommonly kind and always wanting to help people. I saw you visiting Ba Sing Se University and borrowing scrolls; I could tell you were studious and wanted to learn. Toph told me that you are a skilled and determined fighter. I admired you from a distance._

_If I die in the coming battle, let this be my good-bye. Now that I know you love me too, it will be harder to die. But I pray the Spirits will keep me alive and bring me home to you._

_I love you. Pray for me; I'll be praying and thinking of you the whole time I'm at the barricade._

_Sincerely, Zuko._

Sokka went up to Katara's bedroom, but she had fallen asleep, tired from her excursion – or was escapade a more accurate word? – earlier that morning. Good; better she was asleep than worrying. Sokka brushed her hair out of her tearstained face, then leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Be safe," he whispered. He left the scroll at the foot of her bed; Katara would find it when she awoke, and hopefully she would understand.

Sokka went to his room and put on an old Water Tribe warrior uniform, with a dark blue tunic and a helmet shaped like a wolf's head. A sword on his belt and a boomerang strapped to his back added the final touches.

Taking a deep breath, Sokka stepped out into the street and headed for the barricade.

He had to find Zuko. Only, once he found him, Sokka didn't know if he would try to protect Zuko, or kill him.


	14. A Little Fall of Rain

_Published August 27, 2011_

Sneers took the first watch, and he announced each arrival at the barricade. "It's Fire Sage Iroh!" he called down to the others from his post in the watchtower.

Lu Ten looked up in surprise. "Dad?"

"Uncle?" Zuko stood up beside his cousin.

The old man came sliding down the wooden structure. Jet bowed respectfully to the old man. Lu Ten spoke with his father in hushed tones, nodded, and then turned to address the assembled warriors. "My father has come to join us in prayer before the battle."

Everyone stood and bowed their heads.

Iroh raised his hands in a blessing. "May the Spirits guide you today," he said. "May they protect you in battle and grant you victory."

Everyone bowed their heads. The Water Tribe warriors murmured prayers to the Moon and Ocean Spirits. Lu Ten and Zuko entreated the spirit of the sun, their source of power; and the dragons, the first firebenders. Aang called upon his past lives to grant him the wisdom to win this battle. Toph hoped that they would all be safe, and their goals would be accomplished.

Finally Iroh let his arms fall to his sides. "Go in peace," he said, looking out at the warriors and Freedom Fighters. His eyes fell on his son and nephew. Iroh opened his arms, and Zuko and Lu Ten went forward to hug him. "Be safe," he implored them.

"I will, Dad," Lu Ten promised.

"We'll do our best," Zuko said truthfully.

Iroh let go of them, and Toph bended a pedestal underneath him so he wouldn't have to climb up the barricade. He stepped on top of the wooden structure, turning back one last time to wave to Lu Ten and Zuko. Then he jumped down into the street, and was gone.

A short while later Sneers called down to them from the watchtower. "The scout is back."

Long Feng came climbing over the barricade. "Good, you're back," Hakoda said. "What news do you have?"

Long Feng dusted off his robes, panting a little. When he'd caught his breath he said, "I counted each man, and I overheard their plans. Be warned: the danger is real. We will need all our cunning to bring them down."

"Well said," Jet prompted.

Toph frowned. The man was telling the truth. But something was nagging her. She knew she had heard that voice before, and recently … She gasped as it came back to her. The day Azula's gang attacked Katara and her father, he had come to the town square.

Lu Ten looked resolute. "We have to keep faith. If you know what their movements are, we'll have an advantage. We can overcome them!"

"They aren't going to attack us tonight," Long Feng said; and now Toph could feel his heart rate increase. "They intend to starve us out a few days, then hit us from the right."

"Liar!" Toph cried, sounding strangely triumphant as she emerged from the throng and pointed a finger at Long Feng. "I recognize your voice. I never forget a voice. You were in the market square when Azula's gang attacked Katara and her father." Toph turned to Jet. "I know this man – his name's Long Feng, and he's the Head of the Dai Li. So don't believe a word he says."

Long Feng made a break for it, but Pipsqueak tackled him, pinning his arms behind his back. "Good going, Toph," the giant said to her.

Long Feng looked murderously at the earthbender who had just altered his fate. "You little …"

"Bet you didn't think a little girl would stop you from bringing down the revolution!" Toph said smugly. "This only goes to show what little people can do." She put an arm around Aang and The Duke.

Smellerbee laughed a little. "I'm glad you're on our side," she told the younger kids.

"So what're we going to do with this traitor?" Jet said, glaring at Long Feng.

"Pipsqueak, tie him up; we'll keep him here for now," Lu Ten said. "After the battle, we can have a trial for him. The people will decide his fate."

Long Feng roared. "Kill me now or kill me later; it makes no difference to me. I renounce your people's court." Even in the face of death, he felt he was superior to these schoolboys and rabble-rousers.

Jet grit his teeth. "Be sure to gag him, too. Come on, guys, we have work to do."

Pipsqueak held Long Feng down while Longshot bound and gagged him. Then Pipsqueak tossed the spy unceremoniously next to the pile of weapons.

"There's a boy climbing the barricade!" Sneers shouted from the watchtower.

Zuko turned to see the new arrival swinging her legs over the top of the barricade.

It was Mai.

She jumped down and landed on her feet in a crouch. Zuko strode over to her, grabbed her arm and pulled her up, swearing.

"Are you insane?" Zuko asked furiously. "Did you see Katara? Why did you come back here?"

"I took the letter, like you said," Mai answered. "I met her father at the door. He said that he would give it …"

"Someone's coming!" Sneers shouted. Then he gasped and ducked; an arrow quivered on the wooden flagpole in the watchtower, right where Sneers' head had been.

"The Yu Yan!" Lu Ten exclaimed.

"No way – they never miss," Smellerbee said.

"That wasn't a miss," Jet said with grim certainty. He drew his twin hook swords from his back. "That was a warning."

An archer with a metal helmet and red facial tattoos appeared at the top of the barricade wall.

"We're being infiltrated!" Hakoda cried.

Zuko instinctively shot a fireball at the Yu Yan archer, who ducked but held on to the top of the wall. When he reappeared, he had fitted an arrow to his bow, and was aiming at Zuko's heart.

Zuko closed his eyes. This was it, then. It was over. _Good-bye, Katara …_

Just as he heard the snap of the bowstring, he felt someone's body in front of his. Zuko opened his eyes as he fell to the ground. Mai fell on top of him, the arrow protruding from her torso.

Longshot aimed his crossbow at the Yu Yan archer, who was busy fitting another arrow to his bow. The Freedom Fighter's arrow ran true, striking the Fire Nation warrior in the heart; he fell backwards, tumbling down the barricade into the street below.

"What just happened?" Toph asked, her voice much higher than usual.

Aang was shaking, watching Zuko and Mai. "The archer aimed for Zuko, but Mai stepped in front of him – she's hurt, badly. Longshot just killed the archer."

Zuko lay on the ground for a moment, breathing heavily, trying to process what he had just seen. Everything had happened in less than a minute. He felt Mai's weight on top of him, and now he could feel something warm and wet seeping into his clothes.

He tried to move slowly to get out from under Mai without hurting her more. Aang came over and helped to move her off of Zuko. Mai shuddered, clutching her side.

Zuko sat up, shaking, and took Mai's head in his lap. "Mai – what – you just –" He looked up and saw the other Freedom Fighters standing all around, watching him. "What are you all standing around for?" he demanded. "She needs help – someone do something!"

"Don't fret, Zuko." Zuko looked down and was amazed to see Mai smile faintly at him. "I don't feel any pain. If I have to die, at least … I'm not alone." Truthfully, there was no one else Mai would rather have been with – at any given time, or at the hour of her death.

"But you'll live, Mai," Zuko said, and she could hear the panic and anguish in his voice. "I'll get a healer – maybe Katara can save you –"

"Don't leave me!" Mai cried, clutching his arm. "Leave it alone – just stay with me, please."

Zuko wavered for one agonizing moment, wondering what was the right thing to do – leave Mai to get help, knowing that she might die before he returned, yet doing something that could save her; or guaranteeing her death, and making her comfortable? But Mai was looking at him with such an expression of worry and pleading and something that might be fear – all emotions that he had never seen in Mai before. He couldn't desert her now, when she needed him most.

Zuko held Mai closer in his arms. "All right, I won't go anywhere. I'll stay with you – until –" His voice faltered. "Until you're sleeping."

Mai smiled again, but it was a bit like a grimace. "Don't let The Duke see me … he'll tell Ozai and Azula on me."

"Why did you come back here?" Zuko wanted to keep talking, so he would have something to think about. And if Mai was about to die, he didn't want to simply sit in silence while he waited for the life to slip out of her.

Mai was silent for a moment, thinking about her answer. When she responded, her voice was very soft. "I didn't have anywhere else to go … I just wanted to be with you. And I … I was worried that you were going to die. I didn't want to live if you died. I hoped … that if I came … we would both die … and we could be together in the Spirit World."

Zuko stared at Mai. She cared about him far more than he had realized. He had greatly underestimated his friend's loyalty.

Mai turned her head so she was facing the sky, and felt drops of water fall on her face. "Zuko, it's raining."

"Yeah." In the back of his mind, Zuko thought it odd that Mai should comment on the weather when she was moments away from death.

"I always liked the rain. Azula could never understand that. It made the flowers grow in our garden, before we lost the inn. The rain will wash away my suffering. I don't feel any pain now – not when you're with me. You'll stay with me – that's all I need to know. And rain will make the flowers grow."

Zuko wondered if Mai was delirious. But her words made sense, symbolically – she was wise beyond her years. There was so much about her that Zuko did not know – and now he would never be able to know more about her.

Mai spoke up softly. "You know, Zuko, I believe I was a little in love with you."

Zuko stared at Mai, his mouth agape. "Oh, Mai, I …" He had had no idea … but now it seemed fairly obvious, as he thought about her behavior toward him. He remembered fleetingly when she had asked for something in payment, but refused his money. Zuko groaned. "I feel so stupid … I never realized …"

"You don't have to say anything," Mai said. "I just had to tell you –" She gasped, and Zuko felt her body tense.

"Can I ask you to do something for me?" Mai whispered.

Zuko bent her head over hers. "Anything," he promised.

"Kiss me."

Zuko leaned down and his lips came crashing onto Mai's. Wordlessly he tried to apologize, to make up for his ignorance and self-centeredness. Mai felt herself drowning in Zuko; he was the only thing holding her to life now.

Zuko pulled away slowly. Mai smiled up at him. "Thank you. Katara's a lucky girl …" She opened her mouth to say more, but then she exhaled, almost sighing. Zuko felt Mai's body slacken, and saw that she wasn't breathing. The last thing she saw was Zuko's face.

Zuko bowed his head sorrowfully, hugging Mai to his chest. "She's gone."

The Freedom Fighters bowed their heads; Longshot, Toph, and The Duke took off their hats or helmets, acknowledging the first casualty of the revolution.

"She is the first to fall," Jet said solemnly. "The first of us to fall upon this barricade."

Zuko shuddered slightly, fighting back a sob. "Her name was Mai," he said in a choked voice. "Her life was cold and dark … but she was never afraid. She was loyal and selfless. She sac –" Zuko's voice broke; he couldn't say the word "sacrifice" in reference to himself and Mai.

Smellerbee wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "We fight here in her name," she said, her voice sad but determined.

"Her death won't be in vain," Aang added, trying to offer Zuko some comfort.

Toph stepped forward and placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "She will not be betrayed," she promised him.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This chapter turned out longer than I'd anticipated (it's one of my favorite scenes from the musical); so the battle will have to wait until the next chapter. Also, I wanted to get something posted before school starts next week, and I haven't finished the next few scenes. Sorry to prolong the suspense!

A little bit about the origins of this chapter: Most of the dialogue in this story is based on lyrics from the musical _Les Miserables_. The metaphor about the rain is from the musical; but the thing about Eponine wanting to die with Marius, and the line "I do believe I was a little bit in love with you" are from Victor Hugo's novel.

One other thing, I have a new poll about which story I should work on next; I have descriptions of my future projects on my profile page. Good luck to everyone going back to school. And for those of you who live on the East Coast, good luck weathering the storm that is Hurricane Irene. (As I post this, at least three people have died.) Be safe; God bless you.


	15. The First Attack

_Published September 19, 2011_

They wrapped Mai's body in a sheet, one of many that had been saved to use as bandages. They lay her in a small alcove; they would have to wait until after the battle to bury her.

Sneers' voice rang again from the watchtower. "There's a man in Water Tribe uniform coming this way."

Hakoda frowned. "But we're all here," he said, gesturing to his warriors.

But sure enough, the man who climbed over the top of the barricade wore blue clothing and had a wolf's-head helmet, and was armed with Water Tribe weapons.

"Who are you?" Jet barked. "What are you doing here?"

Sokka held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I come here as a volunteer," he said truthfully.

The Freedom Fighters exchanged mistrustful glances.

"You've got some years behind you," Lu Ten observed, looking concerned.

"I can still be of some help," Sokka insisted.

Jet narrowed his eyes at the stranger. "You see that prisoner over there?" He gestured to the corner where Long Feng was tied up. Sokka's eyes met Long Feng's for a long moment as the two men recognized each other.

"He's a volunteer like you," Jet said. "And he tried to betray us to the firebenders."

Yet another cry came down from the watchtower. "They're getting ready to attack!" Sneers shouted, sounding excited now.

Jet realized there was no time left to deliberate, and they needed all the help they could get. He picked up a crossbow and held it out for Sokka. "Take this and use it well." Sokka reached for the weapon, but Jet pulled it away, adding, "But if you shoot us in the back, I won't hesitate to kill you." Sokka nodded, and Jet handed him the weapon.

The Freedom Fighters took their positions, aiming through small windows in the barricade wall. Aang stood in the watchtower, ready to deflect any large projectiles.

Sokka peered through a small hole in the ramshackle wall. He could see rows of painted Yu Yan archers and armored firebenders marching down the street. He was startled to see that he recognized their leader: General Mung, a man he had known in his days as the factory manager. _Small world,_ Sokka thought wryly.

The small battalion halted at General Mung's signal. There was a long, silent, tense moment when neither side moved. Then General Mung called out angrily to the Freedom Fighters.

"I thought we could live as neighbors, in peace. But I guess I was wrong. You steal our food, our medicine; and then you destroy our factory."

Sokka winced.

"We didn't do any of that!" Smellerbee exclaimed.

"Yeah, the Painted Lady brought us food," The Duke shouted. "She's the one that healed our sick, not your medicine."

"Oh, right, the mysterious Painted Lady did it," General Mung said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "And I suppose she drew the army emblem on your containers, too!"

The Freedom Fighters exchanged glances.

"This is a Ring of thieves and liars!" General Mung shouted. "Where's your Painted Lady now? We're going to cure the world of this wretched Ring."

"If you attack us, then battle commences," Jet threatened.

There was a brief pause. "So be it," General Mung said flatly. Then he punched forward, sending a blast of fire toward the barricade.

Aang was ready; he sliced his staff through the air, blowing out the fire before it reached the structure.

Chaos ensued.

Sokka and most of the Freedom Fighters shot arrows and other small projectiles through the slits in the barricade. The Water Tribe warriors threw spears and longbows. Zuko and Lu Ten shot blasts of fire into the crowd of attackers. Toph bended large boulders over the wall toward the firebenders. Aang used airbending to spare the barricade from blasts of fire.

The battle was surprisingly brief, less than half an hour. Several firebenders had fallen in the street, either wounded or dead.

"They're falling back, the cowards!" Bato said with satisfaction.

"They're regrouping," Lu Ten stated. "They'll be back. We must all be ready."

"Sniper!" Hakoda shouted, pointing at a firebender who was trying to climb over the barricade.

The assassin aimed a crossbow at Jet; but Sokka quickly pulled out his boomerang and flung it at the man. It hit the sniper's forehead and knocked him down over the wall. There was a sickening crack as the man hit the cobblestone street below. The boomerang came flying back, and Sokka caught it deftly.

"Well done, sir," Lu Ten complimented.

Jet nodded respectfully toward Sokka. "I'll thank you when the battle is won."

Sokka tilted his head thoughtfully. "Actually, you don't need to thank me; there's something you can do instead."

"What's that?"

"Give me the spy Long Feng. Let me take care of him."

The captive gave an outraged cry, muffled by his gag.

Jet glanced at Lu Ten, who nodded assent. "Do what you have to do; the man belongs to you."

"Take him outside the barricade," Jet advised.

Sokka nodded. Lu Ten grabbed Long Feng's arm, forcing the man to his feet. They exited the barricade through a tunnel Toph and Aang earthbended below the structure. They stepped over pools of blood, but there were no bodies; they had been taken away to be cremated or buried.

Sokka led his prisoner into an alley, before taking off the gag. The two foes faced each other.

"We meet again," Sokka stated.

Long Feng looked at him with unconcealed loathing. "You've just waited for this all your life," he sneered. "You finally get your revenge. How fitting."

"You talk too much," Sokka said darkly, pulling out his boomerang. He circled around Long Feng, who braced himself for the sharp stab that would end his life.

But instead Long Feng heard a quick slicing sound, and felt his bonds loosen. Then he heard the sound of the knife being sheathed.

Long Feng spun around to face Sokka. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Sokka snapped. "I'm letting you go."

"What?"

"You heard me. I'm letting you live. I'm setting you free."

Long Feng's eyes flashed dangerously. "You want a deal, is that it? Do you think I'll let you get away scot-free if you release me?"

"No. I don't want anything."

"Liar," Long Feng snarled. "Once a thief, always a thief. What you want, you always steal. You want a bargain."

Sokka clenched his fists, trying to control his temper. When he looked at Long Feng, his blue eyes were passionate and fierce. "You are wrong," he said in a low voice. "You've always been wrong. I'm not a thief. I'm a man, no better or worse than any other."

"You should kill me," Long Feng insisted. "I won't stop, understand? I won't let you go. You should end this. Kill me."

Sokka shook his head stubbornly. "I'm setting you free, and I'm not asking for anything in return."

"But you hate me."

Sokka looked at Long Feng for a long moment. "No. I don't hate you. There's nothing I blame you for. You've done your duty, that's all."

Long Feng stared at him. Sokka remembered that when he had first left the prison, he had been determined to never forgive the men who imprisoned him. But Fire Sage Iroh had taught him, by example, to forgive, and to help the people who hurt you. Oh, Sokka would love to slice Long Feng's flesh with the sharpened edge of his boomerang, or run him through with his space sword. But letting Long Feng go was Sokka's way of honoring the Fire Sage who had helped him out of the slippery hole of poverty and enabled him to turn his life around.

Sokka tossed his head toward the end of the street. "You'd better hurry," he said. "The others won't be merciful. No doubt our paths will cross again. Go."

Long Feng looked hard at him for a moment, before turning away. He hurried down the alley, disappearing around the corner.

Watching his old enemy slink away, Sokka prayed that he wouldn't regret this decision.


	16. Night of Anguish

_Published October 5, 2011_

The sun was setting on Ba Sing Se. The Freedom Fighters got ready for a long night in the barricade.

Aang came over to Toph. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Toph nodded, but she looked tired. "I'll be okay," she assured Aang.

Aang was quiet for a moment. Then he said timidly, "We could go back, you know."

But Toph shook her head. "This isn't over yet. We're still needed here. I'm not going to leave now."

"Okay."

They sat together in silence for a moment. Then Toph said, "Thanks for coming with me."

"You're welcome." Aang took Toph's hand in his. Her hands were dirty and calloused, while his were soft and warm. They held on to each other tightly. They were each other's rock to hold on to.

Toph usually disliked mushy conversations, but if she was going to die, this might be her last chance to say it. "You're my best friend, Aang."

Aang didn't answer. Toph was about to ask why, when she felt something warm and soft on her lips. Her unseeing eyes widened and she leaned back, shocked.

Aang stammered. "I – I'm sorry. I was just, caught up in the moment, I guess. I won't –"

But he was cut off when Toph grabbed his shoulder and kissed him. Now it was Aang's turn to be surprised; part of him had been afraid that Toph would sock him for trying to kiss her.

"It's about time!" Aang and Toph parted when they heard Smellerbee's wicked laugh. Toph blushed furiously; Aang smiled sheepishly.

Lu Ten opened one of the wooden crates, and pulled out several containers of tealeaves and a few jars of water. "My dad let me bring these," he explained, using firebending to heat up the water. "If we're going to spend the night here, we might as well be as comfortable as we can."

Jet nodded. "They won't attack again until it's light.

The Freedom Fighters and warriors sat in a rough circle, and Lu Ten passed around cups of tea.

Smellerbee raised her cup. "To Mai."

Everyone toasted solemnly. Zuko looked pained, but tried to hide it by taking a swig of his beverage.

Jet raised his cup as well. "To freedom."

Sneers spoke up. "To friendship."

"Hear, hear!" everyone chorused

Toph added, "Our friendships will never die … even if our friends do."

"Well said," Aang told her. He made a toast as well.

Hakoda of the Water Tribe raised his own cup. "To girls who went to our heads – and our beds," he added with a wicked grin.

Bato looked critically at Hakoda. "You're not still thinking about that Kya, are you? It's been, what, fifteen, seventeen years?"

Sokka's ears perked up at the familiar name. Kya. Katara's mother. Sokka stared at Hakoda. Could it be …?

"Who's this you're talking about?" he asked, trying to keep his tone casual.

Hakoda smiled nostalgically. "Kya. She was a real gem. I left her, but I gave her something to remember me by – a necklace I carved with my tribe's insignia on it."

Sokka stared at the warrior. So this was Kya's lover, who had given her the burden of responsibility of raising a child. He had destroyed Kya's life – it was a miracle, a blessing from the spirits, that he had not destroyed Katara's life as well.

While the other revolutionaries reminisced about better days and tried to envision a better future, Sokka was lost in thought. He debated whether or not he should tell Hakoda that he had raised the man's daughter. Part of Sokka wanted to give Hakoda a piece of his mind, and reprimand him for what he had done. Part of him felt Hakoda had a right to know. But then, what if Hakoda tried to claim Katara as his daughter, assuming he survived the battle at the barricade?

When the men started talking about women and girls, Zuko bowed his head, thinking of Katara and Mai. He felt he didn't care so much about dying if Mai was dead and Katara was leaving. But even if he lived … how could he live, with Katara gone, and bearing the knowledge that Mai had loved him and died because of him?

Zuko sighed. "Is it worth it, do you suppose?"

Jet narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Zuko. "What are you saying? Are you afraid to die?"

"No, and that's not what I meant. I mean – will the world even remember us when we fall? Can it be that our deaths will mean nothing?"

Everyone was silent for a moment. Then, to everyone's amazement, Longshot spoke up. "There's no turning back now. If we die, we'll die fighting for a better future. And those of us who survive will never forget."

The Freedom Fighters stared at Longshot; they had never heard him speak before he made that profound statement. Smellerbee threw her arms around Longshot in an uncharacteristic show of affection. Longshot looked slightly surprised, but he hugged the girl back.

Lu Ten collected the empty cups, and most of the warriors settled down to a fitful sleep. Longshot and Smellerbee curled up together; The Duke settled on Pipsqueak's stomach. Aang lay down, folding his arms behind his head and staring up at the night sky. Toph lay down beside him, resting her head on his chest. She could feel his heart pumping blood through his body.

"Zuko." He turned, and Jet clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Get some rest." The two men shook hands, and as they did Sokka saw a flash of blue on the firebender's wrist. Katara's necklace.

So this was Zuko, the boy Katara had fallen in love with. Sokka had seen how fiercely Zuko fought against the Fire Nation soldiers earlier that day. He looked tired, sorrowful; he was probably frightened, even if he didn't want to show it.

At that moment Sokka made a decision. If he lived, he would do everything in his power to bring Zuko home to Katara. He prayed to every spirit he could think of, for help in doing this. Zuko was just a boy; he still had his whole life ahead of him. Sokka had to make sure he lived, for Katara's sake.

Hakoda, Bato, and a few other Water Tribesmen stayed up to talk quietly. Sokka took his opportunity to talk to Hakoda when Bato left him to confer with Jet. Sokka approached the other warrior. "Hakoda?"

The man looked at Sokka. "Yes?"

"The woman you mentioned, Kya … the necklace you gave her – was it a blue circle with a wave carved into it?"

Hakoda stared at Sokka. "Yes … but how – how did you know?"

Sokka bowed his head. "I knew Kya, and I've seen that necklace."

"What?"

Sokka took a deep breath, and began his story. "I used to be the manager at the factory across the river. About ten years ago, I broke up a brawl between some women working there. I told the forewoman to sort it out. Later, I came across Kya. She had become a prostitute, but she attacked a man who tried to abuse her. Long Feng – the head of the Dai Li, the man who tried to spy on the barricade earlier – he had her arrested, but I intervened. Kya told me she had been fired from her job because I had told the factory forewoman to deal with her after the fight. Kya was very sick, so I took her to a hospital, but she was dying. She told me …" Sokka glared briefly at Hakoda, then looked away again. "She told me she had an illegitimate daughter, whose father had abandoned them."

Hakoda gaped at him. "You mean – you can't mean –"

"Your daughter."

"Good spirits." Hakoda ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. "Is she –"

"She's still alive. Her name is Katara. She's the spitting image of Kya. Before Kya died, I promised her that I would take care of Katara. Then Kya gave me a necklace, and told me to give it to Katara, so she would have something of her. But it seems Katara gave it away, to a boy she's fallen in love with." Sokka pointed at Zuko, who had fallen asleep with the necklace still around his wrist, the pendant resting in his palm.

Hakoda reached out and cautiously ran his fingers over the insignia he had carved two and a half decades before. "So it's come full circle," he murmured. "This must be some heavenly sign …"

The two men sat in silence. It was almost as though Kya had died all over again.

Hakoda spoke tentatively. "So Kya is dead … but the child …?"

"I recovered Katara from the people she was staying with. Kya had left her in the care of a Fire Nation family. They were horrible to her. I adopted Katara and raised her as my child."

Hakoda put his face in his hands. Sokka thought he heard the man sob. After a moment Hakoda looked back up at Sokka; his eyes shone with tears, but his expression was curious and puzzled. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I realized you were Katara's father when you mentioned Kya and the necklace. I guess …" Sokka shrugged. "I thought you had a right to know."

Hakoda cried openly now. The warriors who were still awake looked startled at his tears, but Sokka motioned for them to leave Hakoda alone, so they kept to themselves and spoke to each other in whispers, only surreptitiously casting glances at Hakoda and Sokka.

"What is your name?" Hakoda asked.

Sokka looked surprised, but then realized that he had never introduced himself. He hesitated, and then decided to say his true name. "Sokka of the Water Tribe."

"Sokka … thank you, for taking care of Kya and my daughter. If you survive … " Hakoda swallowed. "Tell Katara that I'm sorry, and that I love her, and I loved her mother too."

Sokka pressed his lips into a thin line, but he nodded his consent.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I'm sorry if Toph seems kind of OOC; that kiss kind of came out of nowhere; I just wanted to have Toph and Aang's relationship develop more (you'll understand why when you read the next chapter). Also, Cosette's father (named Félix Tholomyès in Victor Hugo's novel) never shows up in the play or the movie _Les Misérables_. I just thought it would be an interesting original twist to have Hakoda be a revolutionary. Plus it adds another tie to the first part of this story, about Kya and Katara. I was very strongly tempted to have Zuko join Sokka and Hakoda's conversation, since he could show them the necklace; but that would ruin a later course of action. So Zuko doesn't know that Katara's adoptive father is there; he and Sokka still haven't formally met, Zuko has only glimpsed him in the past, and doesn't recognize him now. But Sokka knows who Zuko is. Please review, let me know how I'm doing!


	17. Little People

_Published October 28, 2011_

The night was long and agonizing. The Freedom Fighters restlessly drifted in and out of sleep. It seemed like the night would never end. But what was worse, Sokka wondered – the apprehensive yet peaceful waiting, or the terrible thing that awaited them? At least if the end came, they could get it over with.

"The stillness before battle is unbearable," Bato observed softly. "Such a quiet dread."

"I don't understand," Jet said, looking frustrated and anguished. "I thought there would be more resistance. I thought more people would come to help us."

"The people of Ba Sing Se are terrified of the Dai Li and Fire Nation," Lu Ten said. "They're afraid of the consequences of rebelling."

"They've abandoned us," Jet realized.

"But we won't abandon them," Lu Ten said with determination.

Despite their doubts, the night did end; the sun rose up in the clear sky. It was too soft and peaceful a dawn for such a miserable situation.

Smellerbee called down to them from the watchtower. "They're coming! Firebenders and earthbenders, and they have trebuchets now!"

Everyone took up their positions again. The battle recommenced.

Aang cried out in terror when he saw the huge boulders being catapulted at the barricade. He did his best to deflect them, but it was hard work. Toph tried to help by throwing the boulders back into the Fire Nation ranks, while Aang focused on the flaming projectiles aimed at the wooden barricade.

"If this place catches fire, we're done for," Sneers said.

"Aang won't let that happen," Pipsqueak said confidently.

Jet had run out of arrows to shoot through the slits in the barricade wall. He went over to the alcove where their weapons were stored, and was startled to see that the arrow box was empty. "Hakoda! Get over here. Where do we stand for ammunition?"

Hakoda's answer was succinct and efficient. "We have several crossbows and one small trebuchet, but we're short on ammunition. We need projectiles – darts, arrows, even stilettos."

Zuko heard them talking and came over to the two leaders. "Let me go into the streets," Zuko said. "There are bodies all around, and some may still have ammunition on them."

The Freedom Fighters marveled at Zuko's apparent bravery. But Lu Ten shook his head. "I won't let you go, it's too great a risk."

"The same is true for anyone here!" Zuko insisted.

Sokka stepped forward, holding his palm out. "Let me go. He's just a boy; but I'm getting old. I have nothing to fear."

Jet looked at Sokka for a moment, and then nodded, accepting his offer. The two men shook hands grimly.

Just then The Duke spoke up from behind them. "You'll need someone small and quick – we volunteer!" And before anyone could stop them, Toph stomped her foot against the ground, earthbending a tunnel under the wall of the bunker. Aang grabbed her hand, and he, Toph, and The Duke disappeared down the hole.

"Don't you dare!" Pipsqueak yelled. Several people made to go after them, but Toph bended the earth back in place behind her, sealing the tunnel entrance.

"Someone bring them back!" Smellerbee shouted.

Longshot pulled out a spyglass. He looked briefly through a hole in the wall, and then passed the spyglass to Jet, who grimly reported to the others. "It's too late – they're already out."

* * *

><p>The trio emerged from a hole in the street, courtesy of Toph. Aang looked around nervously. "We have to hurry."<p>

"Come on," The Duke said eagerly, "we'll show them what little people can do!"

The trio stayed close to the ground, tiptoeing among the fallen Fire Nation soldiers. They softly hummed and sang "Leaves from the Vine," thinking it appropriate because it was a song about soldiers.

They stayed within a few yards of each other, but spread out a bit to examine more bodies. Then The Duke wandered a little away. Aang and Toph didn't object; they would cover more ground if they split up, but they wanted to stay close by for moral support.

"_Leaves from the vine, falling so slow …_"

Suddenly an arrow whirred through the air. It was so fast, none of them had time to react. The Duke screamed and fell to the ground. Aang saw the arrow protruding from his chest, right where his heart was – he had died instantly, without suffering. The Yu Yan had perfect aim.

Aang felt glad Toph was blind and couldn't see the horrific sight. But she knew what had happened. She felt the vibrations as he fell and his heart stopped.

"That was The Duke," Toph said shakily. She could feel Aang trembling. And she was trembling, too, as she fully grasped the danger around them. Tears welled in her eyes.

Aang gripped her hand more tightly. "We'll be okay, Toph," he promised. It was the first and last time he ever lied to her.

Toph couldn't prevent a sob from escaping. Aang pulled her into an embrace. She held him tightly, trying to carve the moment into her memory – in case either of them should die.

Finally, all too soon, Toph murmured, "We need to get the ammunition …"

"Right. Come on." Toph let Aang guide her by the hand. They knelt down against the dead bodies, searching their sleeves and pockets, and storing their findings in a sack Aang had brought from the barricade. It was worse for Toph, having to feel the bodies without seeing.

And still they sang. It was the only way they knew to keep their courage and hope up. And it was a sort of tribute to their friends, Mai and now The Duke, who had died as soldiers and would not come home. "_Like tiny fragile shells … drifting in the foam_ …" Singing made them feel a bit more confident despite their sadness. For a moment, Toph thought they might be all right; they were almost done, they'd be heading back soon, they could just make it …

Aang cried out; Toph felt him drop to his knees. "What is it?" she cried, kneeling beside him.

"Arrow – in my side," Aang panted, gritting his teeth. He slowly lay down on his back, one live body among the many dead ones.

"Try – try not to move," Toph said, her voice breaking. "That'll make it worse. What can I do? Is there – any chance – you could pull it out?"

"No." Aang's voice betrayed the intense pain. "Toph … I can't make it back."

"Don't talk like that!" Toph exclaimed. "I'll carry you if I have to. I won't leave you!"

"You have to," Aang told her. He pressed the bag into Toph's hands. "You have to finish collecting the ammo, and get it to Zuko and the others."

Toph felt her heart in her throat. "Aang …"

"Please, Toph, this is the only thing I can ask you. For me." Aang reached out; Toph felt his hand touch her cheek.

Toph swallowed, fighting back tears. "Okay," she said. Aang had never heard her sound so … small. Toph really was just a little girl, even if she did pack a punch.

Toph bent over Aang and let him guide her face to his. Their lips met, and they stayed locked for almost a minute. It was the longest they had ever kissed, but if it was to be their last, it was all too short for Toph.

It was Aang who broke the connection, gently pushing Toph away. "Good-bye, Toph."

"Good-bye, Aang." There were so many things that Toph wanted to say, but she couldn't articulate them, and there just wasn't time. She had to act fast.

She searched the bodies around Aang, not going more than a few feet away from him. Then came the hard part – leaving him behind.

Toph closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Aang," she whispered. Then she crawled farther away to the next row of bodies.

Her voice quavered, thick with tears. "_Little soldier boy … come marching home_ …"

A few minutes later, Toph heard a gasp. "Aang?" she cried urgently. She put her hand against the ground, feeling his heartbeat vibrating through the earth. Then she felt his heart stop. Aang was dead, just like Mai and The Duke.

Toph clenched her hands around fistfuls of dirt. She let the tears flow freely; they were the only way she could allow herself to release some small part of the vast pain she was feeling. She dared to allow herself one minute to just sit and sob. She cried for Aang, her first love; the Duke, her sidekick; and Mai, the first casualty at the barricade. She cried for her parents, knowing how devastated they would be if she died – which seemed very likely. And she cried for the Freedom Fighters, for those who had yet to die. It all seemed so hopeless.

Finally Toph tried to catch her breath and get a hold of her self. She didn't care whether she lived or died, but she did care about what would happen to her friends back in the barricade. They were counting on her to get ammunition for them. And that had been Aang's last request from her.

_Be strong,_ Toph told herself. _You still have a mission to do_.

She would have to be exceedingly cautious, though. She could sense the dead bodies around her, and would feel anyone approaching on foot, but she couldn't see projectiles aimed at her.

Toph crawled among the bodies, trying to stay low and out of sight. She decided to work her way back to the barricade, searching bodies as she went. She could feel blood seeping into the clothes whose pockets she searched; the smell of burnt flesh almost made her gag.

The bag was almost full now. She just had to get it back to the barricade …

Toph had a very fleeting sensation as the arrow shot toward her; then there was a sharp, agonizing pain in her side. She screamed, falling on her hands and knees.

_No … I can't die yet! Not yet …_

Shuddering and crying, Toph gripped the bag of weapons in her hands, and crawled back to where Aang's body lay in the street-turned-battlefield. It took all of her concentration and endurance to stand up. With a defiant, righteous cry, Toph stomped on the ground, bending up a pillar of earth that sent the bag of ammunition flying up in the direction of the barricade.

There. The little people hadn't failed. They had done everything they could. Now it was up to the Freedom Fighters.

Toph collapsed on the ground next to Aang's body. She clung to him, choking out the end of the song. "_Brave soldier girl … comes marching home._" She laid her head on her friend's chest, and gave herself up.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I'm sorry if this came as a shock to those of you who haven't seen _Les Misérables_. In the play, Gavroche is shot offstage multiple times (with bullets, not arrows) before he finally dies.

Anyway, happy Halloween to everyone. I'm dressing up as Katara; and it's supposed to snow where I live, which seems appropriate since Katara is from the South Pole. I think next year I may dress up as Eponine (the character Mai played in this story).


	18. The Final Attack

_Published November 12, 2011_

**Author's ****Note:** I have two pieces of news I want to share with you readers. First, I went to the library checked out the English translation of _Les __Misérables_ by Victor Hugo. Over 1400 pages, but I am determined to read it all, see what the original story is like. (I made it through _Dracula_, all the Harry Potters, and two Twilight books; I can make it through this!)

Second, for all anime fans: I just found out that there is, in fact, a Japanese cartoon based on Les Mis! It's called _Les_ _Misérables: __Shoujo __Cosette_. I haven't been able to find actual episodes online – much less ones with English subtitles – but there are some really nice YouTube videos that fans have made for the Les Mis songs. My favorites are the ones for "One Day More" and "On My Own." Check it out!

Anyway, here's a long chapter, as requested. The truth is, I couldn't find a different point that would be a good time to separate chapters. I remember when I first saw a production of _Les __Misérables_ last May, I honestly had no idea what to expect at this point in the story; I really didn't know how it was going to end. There will be a few more chapters, but this is the last really suspenseful one.

**Disclaimer**: Lu Ten's lines about love are taken from the 1998 film _Les __Misérables_, directed by Bille August, screenplay by Rafael Yglesias. Also, I looked up Javert on Wikipedia to figure out what he was thinking during his final scene, and I may have paraphrased a bit of the text.

* * *

><p>The Freedom Fighters watched in horror as the Yu Yan shot down first The Duke, their youngest follower; then Aang, their valuable defender; and finally Toph, the fearless rebel. But before she died, Toph managed to throw the bag of ammunition into the barricade. It landed pitifully on the dirt in the center of the structure.<p>

Everyone stared at the bag, aghast. They were shocked, devastated, and angry. How could the soldiers kill children?

It was Jet who stepped forward, picked up the bag and grimly handed out the replenished arrows and stilettos. "This is what they wanted," he said. "They didn't fail us. And we can't fail them."

The Freedom Fighters nodded. More than a few people were crying; others were numb with shock or grief.

General Mung's voice rang in the air. "Listen all of you at the barricade! The citizens of Ba Sing Se are willing to cooperate with us. They have abandoned you to your fate. You have no choice but to surrender."

The rebels exchanged glances. They had no way of knowing whether Mung was telling the truth. He might have been trying to trick them into surrendering. But if it was true …

They wouldn't allow themselves to think that way.

"We've come too close to give up now," Smellerbee yelled.

"You have no chance!" General Mung shouted. "Why throw your lives away?"

"At least let us die facing our foes," Sneers exclaimed.

"Make them pay for every fallen one!" Jet shouted to his comrades. "You just killed four women and children. How can you possibly justify that?"

That was the new reality for the comrades. Their dreams of glory had been shattered, but they still clung to their ideals; and after seeing their friends die, they wanted to fight back more than ever.

"FIRE!" The order rang through the red and green ranks, and suddenly projectiles, large and small, were raining down on the barricade. A couple of rebels were shot down right away, but the arrows could be avoided if they stuck close to the wall.

Aang was no longer there to deflect the bigger projectiles. The Freedom Fighters watched in horror as the earthbenders loaded a flaming boulder onto a catapult, taking aim at the barricade.

"Duck and cover!" Sneers screamed, as the rope was cut and the boulder came hurtling toward the wooden structure. Everyone scrambled to get away from the perimeter, even going into the range of the arrows and stilettos.

The boulder crashed through the makeshift wall. Longshot, Smellerbee, and Hakoda weren't able to get far enough away, and were crushed under the wood and rocks.

"NOOOO!"

Small flames licked the debris; Zuko and Lu Ten tried to shrink and extinguish them before the whole barricade caught fire.

Sokka and Bato rushed over to pull Hakoda out of the wreckage. He was weak, and his forehead was bleeding. Hakoda's eyes met Sokka's. "Protect … them …" he wheezed, tossing his head in Zuko's direction.

"Come on, Hakoda," Bato started.

Hakoda cried out, "Kya! Katara!" Then he slumped back and died.

Bato backed away, shaking his head. "No," he whispered.

"Bato, get down!" Sokka shouted. The man was standing in plain view of opening that the boulder had made in the wall. Arrows and stilettos whizzed through the air, and actually made it into the barricade.

An arrow struck Bato in the stomach; he cried out, and then fell on top of the debris.

"Come on, guys!" Jet screamed. "In position!"

But everyone was panicked and disorganized now. There was very little room to hide; soon the Yu Yan and Dai Li would simply overtake the barricade.

"We're not going to make it," Zuko realized. Strangely, he was not as surprised as he felt he should have been. Maybe he had realized it when Mai died, or when the younger kids were shot down. Now, all around him, adults and teenagers were screaming, trying to aim at the enemy, fighting to stay alive.

Another boulder crashed into the center of the barricade, knocking down Lu Ten and Sneers.

"No!" Zuko rushed to his cousin's side. "Lu Ten?"

"Zuko." Lu Ten turned his head to look at his younger cousin. "You need to live. You need to get back to Katara. If we can't win here, then none of us have a future. You have love. That's the only future the Spirits give us."

"I won't – I can't go home and tell Uncle that I let you die. You're his only son –"

Lu Ten shook his head. "Not his only. He thinks of you as his own son, and my brother. Take care of him for me, will you?"

Zuko hesitated, but the look in Lu Ten's amber eyes made him nod in agreement.

"That's a good man." Lu Ten closed his eyes.

Zuko rose to his feet, trembling with shock and rage. He set his jaw, glaring up at the tumultuous scene before him. He was past mourning and grief, and all he felt was rage. He had but one instinct: fight.

He climbed up to the top of what was left of the wall, aiming over the summit. "This is for my cousin!" Zuko shot a stream of fire into the crowd. "This is for Mai!" He sucked in a deep breath, and exhaled a blaze that singed the first row of soldiers in the street. "This is for the kids who'll never grow up!" Tears blurred his vision as he raised his arms again. "This is for –"

He stopped, feeling a sharp pain in his shoulder. Zuko was too stunned to see the fire blast coming toward him; he screamed when he felt the flame lick the left side of his face. Then he started to fall backwards, down, down …

Sokka gasped when he saw Zuko had been shot. He threw himself at the boy, breaking some of the impact from the fall. Debris rained down around them, but Sokka shielded Zuko's body with his own.

Sokka turned Zuko over on the ground. He had been knocked unconscious as he fell; Sokka wondered if his skull might be fractured. The skin around his left eye was severely burned. A star dagger had hit him in the shoulder; Sokka pulled it out, and saw blood seeping through the torn shirt.

Sokka pressed a hand against Zuko's chest. His heart was still beating. The dagger had missed his vital organs; he might make it. But he needed medical attention, now.

The barricade was falling around them; almost everyone else had been killed. There was nothing more Sokka could do here. He needed to get Zuko home, get back to Katara.

Sokka pulled the unconscious firebender into an alcove. He found the bandages and tied a cloth around Zuko's shoulder to staunch the blood; then he slowly stood, carrying Zuko on his back. He may have been old, but he was still strong from his years of physical labor in the quarries. He exited from the back of the barricade, heading into the backstreets.

Jet was the last man standing on the barricade. He looked around in incredulous horror at his fallen comrades.

_We __lost_, he realized numbly. In all their planning, they had talked about the possibility of failure, but he hadn't fully accepted it.

He couldn't stop the boulder that was thrown at his head, striking him dead instantly.

The barricade had fallen.

It was over.

* * *

><p>Azula and Ozai meandered down the streets, stopping to crouch down next to the bodies of fallen warriors.<p>

It was gruesome work; but, Azula reasoned, it had to be done. Soon these people would be buried in mass graves – if they were lucky; it might be more efficient to simply burn them. Then all these valuables would go to waste. But collected and combined, the gold rings and tooth fillings made a fine profit.

"Someone's coming!" Ozai hissed before ducking into an alley. Azula followed suit, crouching behind some barrels as a figure came down the street.

Azula narrowed her eyes. It was Kuzon, that man who had adopted Katara. Carrying a body – unconscious or dead? She couldn't tell.

Something fell from the body as the convict half carried, half dragged him down the blood-spattered street. The man didn't seem to notice; he continued on and turned at the corner.

When they were out of sight, Azula went over to see the item they had dropped. It was a necklace, a blue stone pendant on silk choker. Azula thought she might have seen something like it before.

Azula held the necklace up for her father to see. "When all this excitement dies down," she said sweetly, "I think we should visit an old friend."

* * *

><p>Long Feng waited until the battle was over before returning to the barricade. There were the warriors and rebels he had deceived just the day before – all dead now. Looking at all the bodies he felt his stomach churn, which was slightly surprising to him. He had seen death and destruction before; hadn't he himself wished death upon each of these traitors?<p>

Long Feng shook his head, trying to focus. He counted the bodies, and saw that Sokka's body was not among them. Long Feng realized that he must still be alive. If he had escaped … he would have exited through the back of the barricade, and kept to the dark backroads.

It didn't take long for the law enforcer to catch up with the convict; after all, Sokka was tired and carrying the weight of the other boy. Long Feng found him on the outer road parallel to the Jang Hui River.

Sokka seemed unsurprised when he heard footsteps, turned around and saw Long Feng almost upon him. "It's you. I knew you wouldn't wait long. Just listen – this boy's done no wrong. He needs a healer."

Long Feng folded his arms angrily. "I warned you that I wouldn't give in."

Sokka did not look angry, but there was a fierceness and something that may have been desperation in his eyes. "I just need an hour, to get him to the hospital. Then I'll turn myself in, and all our debts will be settled."

Long Feng was furious. "The man of mercy speaks again! You talk of justice … It's a pity the rules don't allow me to be merciful. I've tried to live my life without breaking a single rule."

"Look around you!" Sokka shouted. "Look at him! Are you so wrapped up in your idea of justice that you don't care whether someone lives or dies? I saved your life! You owe me!"

Long Feng was shaking with anger. "Take him and go!" he burst out suddenly, looking away as he gestured down the street. "I'll be waiting, 24601."

Sokka nodded curtly and carried Zuko away, toward the hospital – the same hospital where Xu had been nursed and Kya died.

Head aching with downward-spiraling thoughts, Long Feng walked, dreamlike, down to the pier on the river. He had stood on this spot ten years before, when he realized that Sokka was the benevolent factory manager. He had come so close then, but the thief had eluded him. So Long Feng had made it his goal to capture the man, even if it was the last thing he did. And he would be damned if he yielded at the end of the chase.

Long Feng looked out at the polluted water. How could he allow this man to hold dominion over him?

Long Feng wished Sokka had killed him earlier. At least then he could have had the righteous satisfaction of being murdered. But now … he couldn't reconcile the brutish outlaw with the compassion he had demonstrated on the barricade.

He couldn't bear living in the debt of a thief. He didn't want that man's pity. The idea insulted and angered him.

Unless …

Could it possibly have been goodwill, and not pity, that convinced Sokka to spare him?

Long Feng had considered Sokka incurably evil. He had believed that it would be better for everyone if the man was put back in prison. But, while he was a criminal, he acted like a truly good person.

It went against Long Feng's entire belief system of moral values and justice.

What if he had been _wrong_? What if Sokka was right? What if there wasn't a clearly defined line between good and evil?

Long Feng was shocked at the idea. Did he doubt his principles? He had never doubted, in all his years working with the Dai Li. He had a heart of stone, like hard, cold earth – but now it trembled.

If he had been wrong all this time … his whole perception of the world was mistaken. He didn't know how to look at any situation.

Long Feng held his head in his hands. All that mattered right now was – what was he going to do about Sokka of the Water Tribe?

He couldn't let the man go free. Long Feng had a duty as the Head of the Dai Li. He knew he had to arrest Sokka. Past crimes aside, the man's participation in the uprising – or riot, whatever you called it – was punishable by death.

But Long Feng owed him his life and his freedom. He couldn't arrest him now – it was an honor thing. But what was more, Long Feng didn't think he could bring himself to turn Sokka in.

For the first time in his life, the lawful thing to do was not in line with the moral thing to do.

Long Feng could see no solution to this conundrum.

But he had to do _something_.

At that moment, he made a decision. If he couldn't solve the problem, he would remove himself from it.

Sokka was just coming back to the side street when he saw Long Feng about to jump. For a moment Sokka just gaped at him. When he realized what Long Feng was doing, he shouted. "Long Feng!"

The law enforcer turned. The two foes looked at each other for a long moment. The policeman and the convict. The earthbender and the Water Tribe warrior. But not the good and the evil, nor vice versa.

Long Feng closed his eyes and leaned backwards, until he was falling off of the pier. A second later he landed with a splash in the dirty water of the Jang Hui River. He did not reappear at the surface.

Sokka stared at the water for a long moment. His archenemy, whom he had feared and evaded for so many years, was … gone.

He was free.

It was strange. He felt he should mourn a man's death; but shouldn't he be happy?

Now, he didn't know how to feel about the man.

Sokka chuckled darkly. "Looks like Long Feng is long gone. Ha! I've been waiting _years_ to use that one."

It felt better to laugh than to cry.


	19. Empty Chairs and Empty Tables

_Published 12-1-11_

**Author's ****Note:** I made a minor change to the previous chapter, regarding Zuko's injury – I had forgotten about a very important detail I wanted to include.

* * *

><p>The next several weeks passed in a sort of haze.<p>

Zuko's wounds healed, though the fire blast had left him with a permanent scar around his left eye. Zuko accepted this without complaint; in fact, now he could bear it and be proud, for his friends. Every day he walked with stronger, longer steps.

Katara came to visit him often, and helped to heal his wounds. At first she approached him with some trepidation, wondering how he would react to seeing her. But they were both happy to be together again. Then she finally introduced Zuko to Sokka, who seemed to like the boy well enough.

Even when Zuko was well enough to walk on his own, Iroh advised him not to go out. There was a chance the Dai Li – or what was left of them – would recognize him as one of the rebels.

The city was in a state of shock; the commoners were in mourning for all those who had died. The Freedom Fighters had promised them rights and opportunities, and died fighting for a new world. Where was that new world now that the fighting was done?

Slowly, the shock wore off and people started to accept it and move on. Time hadn't stopped, even though so many lives had been cut short.

* * *

><p>Zuko stood uncertainly in front of the wooden door. He had felt himself drawn here, but he was afraid to enter – afraid that it would hurt too much. And yet, he had to go inside. He needed to see for himself that his friends were gone, though the rest of the world was much the same.<p>

Zuko took a deep breath and opened the door.

There were fewer crates stacked about, as most of them had contained weaponry and been brought to the barricade. But there were still chairs and tables – empty now.

There, hanging on the wall, was the broken mirror that Smellerbee had used while applying warrior paint. For a second Zuko thought he could see her reflection in it, a phantom face in the light. Zuko came up to the mirror, and saw his own face reflected in it. He was still getting used to the presence of the scar around his eye and cheek.

He glanced at the opposite wall. There was the red and black flag Sneers and Longshot had sewn. He couldn't even remember what the colors they had chosen were supposed to represent. They still reminded him only of desire and despair.

_Desire __and __despair __go __hand __in __hand_.

Zuko strode over to the far wall and took down the flag. For a moment he considered tearing it to shreds and burning the pieces. But he couldn't.

Instead he folded it up neatly and placed it on the table. He pulled out a chair and sat down at the lonely table. He couldn't remember the last time he had been alone in this place. It had never been so quiet in this room – except for that stunned silence when Aang and Toph announced the Earth King's death. In the past this room was full of laughter, excitement, sometimes song …

Lu Ten had taught the Freedom Fighters the song "Leaves from the Vine" in this hidden storeroom. They had heard The Duke and Aang and Toph singing it as they collected ammunition. The very words that they had sung became their last communion.

Iroh had been right, Zuko realized grimly: there was always a worse place that you could be. Zuko had repeated this to Mai, when she thought things couldn't get any worse. But they had: King Kuei died, striking a blow to Ba Sing Se's poor; Zuko had lost his cousin and about a dozen friends – Mai, Aang, Toph, the Duke, Jet, Smellerbee, Pipsqueak, Sneers, Longshot … the list repeated itself in Zuko's mind. Even people he had taken for granted, like the cabbage merchant, had been killed in the violence that had ensued King Kuei's death.

The door creaked as someone entered. "Zuko?" It was Katara, sounding hesitant.

"How did you know I was here?" Zuko asked. He sounded neither surprised nor curious.

Katara shrugged. "I thought this is where I would want to go if I were you." For a moment she stood uncertainly in the doorway.

"If you want to be alone, I'll leave," Katara said softly. "But … I want you to know, I'm here for you, if you need me."

Zuko shook his head. "Don't go."

Katara came over cautiously and sat down next to him at the table.

"I came here to say good-bye," Zuko said abruptly. Katara looked at him, then gazed around the room.

"Mai and Toph and Aang were my friends, too. When I heard what happened to them …" Katara turned away. "I know if it's hard for me, it must be so much worse for you. I can't imagine, the things you went through …"

"It was my fault," Zuko whispered.

Katara froze. "You can't say that –"

Zuko shook his head. "You don't understand. It really _is_ my fault. Aang and Toph, and The Duke … they were my responsibility. I never should have let them stay. And then they ran outside the barricade to collect ammunition for the rest of us. They died trying to help us." His voice cracked as he explained. "Mai … she died directly because of me. She came back to the barricade to see if I was all right. And then … she put herself between an arrow and me. It was my fault."

"If it's anyone's fault, it's mine," Katara said, bowing her head. " I'm the one who destroyed the factory. I brought so much violence to the city …"

Now it was Zuko's turn to comfort Katara. He hugged her, and they clung to each other, offering and receiving mutual support.

"The worst part, for me," Zuko said, "is knowing that they all died in vain. I don't even know what our goal was … we didn't think it through. I wonder if we knew it was going to fail … but we had to do it anyway."

"Maybe there's a lesson to be learned from this," Katara said thoughtfully. "That … you can't change the world all at once, by destroying a factory or staging a revolt. You need to take it one person at a time."

"Maybe," Zuko murmured. But it didn't make him feel any better.

"I know it sounds stupid and ungrateful," Zuko said, "but … sometimes I almost wish I'd died with them on the barricade."

"Don't talk like that," Katara said sharply. "My prayers were answered, and you came home. Every day I thank the spirits that you're alive, that you came home to me."

Zuko shook his head. "That's another thing. Every day I wonder who it was that brought me from the barricade. I was shot, I was sure that I was dying, I must have been unconscious … and then I woke up in the hospital. I owe someone my life, but I don't know who. Maybe whoever it was died in the battle." He bowed his head. "So many people died … I'm the last one left. The last miserable one."

Katara rested her head on his shoulder – the one that hadn't been hit by a star dagger. "I know. But still … I'm glad we're together. We have so many years ahead of us. You're alive, I'm alive, and I'm not leaving. There are reasons we live, and we need to find those reasons. You're here, you survived. So what are you going to do now?"

Zuko turned to look at her. Their faces were just inches apart. Katara's eyes were tender, full of sympathy and love and some apprehension.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about this," Katara said hesitantly. "Do you … still want me in your life? If I just make you sad or angry – I don't want you to feel obligated to stay with me. If I can't be the kind of friend you need now, I'll go."

Zuko was stunned. She was so considerate; she was willing to leave, even though he could tell it would hurt her.

Zuko pulled her into a hug; they were gentle, not wanting to hurt Zuko's shoulder, but it was still meaningful.

"Katara … when I was on the barricade … I thought I'd never see you again. Of course I still want you. What's more, I _need_ you. I have Uncle, but, well, he's not going to be around forever."

"And neither is Kuzon, I suppose," Katara admitted.

Zuko took her hand in both of his. "You and Uncle are the only ones I have left. I don't ever want to be apart from you again. I …" Zuko hesitated. He had been thinking about asking this for weeks, but he hadn't planned to do it here, after such a sad moment.

Zuko took a deep breath. "I want to marry you," he said.

Katara's eyes lit up with surprise. Then she started blinking away tears – only now they were tears of joy. "Do you?"

"Yes. I mean, if you want to. Will you marry me?"

Katara nodded. "Yes."

"Just yes?"

"Yes." And with that Katara leaned forward and kissed him.

Zuko was surprised at how happy he felt. The pain in his chest wasn't smaller or lesser; but with Katara, Zuko felt he was strong enough to bear it. She had lost her friends too. He wasn't alone. He had lost something, but he had gained something too. Iroh would say that was the world's way of keeping balance.

When they broke apart, Katara looked excited, almost giddy. "Are we sure about this? We'll have to plan and prepare …"

"My uncle's a Sage. He can officiate the ceremony."

"That would be wonderful!" Zuko had introduced her to Iroh, and Katara thought she'd like having him for an in-law. Which reminded her of something else. "You'll have to talk to my father."

"You mean – ask for your hand?"

"Something like that," Katara giggled.

They heard someone rapping on the door. They glanced up and saw Sokka looking in through the window.

"Now's your chance," Katara said happily. She laughed at Zuko's terrified expression. "Don't worry," Katara assured him. "He likes you."

Sokka unlatched the door and came inside. He looked tired, and older than Katara had ever seen him.

"Kuzon," Katara said, taking Zuko's hand in hers. "Father … there's something we need to talk about."

Sokka eyed the two of them warily.

"I love Katara," Zuko said. "And … I want to marry her."

Sokka didn't seem surprised. He looked over at Katara. "Katara? What's your reaction?"

"I love Zuko," Katara said.

"If you really feel that way … I won't stand in the way of your happiness."

"You mean …"

Sokka nodded and smiled, though his eyes were sad. "You have my blessing."

Katara laughed, delighted, and hugged him. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear.

"Can I have a word?" Sokka asked Zuko.

"Um, sure."

"I'll – leave you two alone," Katara said, heading for the exit. She closed the door behind her, leaving Zuko alone with Sokka.

"Kuzon – I don't know how to thank you. I promise, I'll take care of Katara."

"Zuko –"

"You can still see her," Zuko said quickly. "Anytime. You're our family. I –"

Sokka shook his head. "Not another word. I need you to listen. There's something that I have to tell you – something that I have to do."

Zuko looked confused and apprehensive, but he remained silent.

Sokka paused for a long moment, pondering where to start. The beginning seemed to be the most logical place. "Once there was a man named Sokka of the Water Tribe, who stole a bag of rice to save his friend's son."

Zuko kept his expression neutral as he listened. Sokka continued, "He was caught and arrested, and sent to prison for nineteen years. When he was released, he broke his parole, and spent his years evading the Dai Li." He paused.

"You're him," Zuko said, his tone emotionless. "You're Sokka of the Water Tribe."

Sokka sat down in one of the chairs. For a moment Zuko wanted to tell him to get up; how dare he sit where Jet had once sat? This place was hallowed ground. It was one thing for him to invite Katara in here, but this man – this convict – was trespassing.

"Katara doesn't know," Sokka said heavily. "How could I tell her? She's been so happy, and I didn't want to ruin that after she suffered so much when she was young … But it's because of her I need to tell you this. If I'm found out, if the Dai Li catch up with me, she'll be disgraced. I don't want to be a burden and cause trouble for you. So … I'm leaving." He paused. "I know it'll upset Katara, but your wedding will cheer her up … I think it's for the best."

"You're right," Zuko said flatly. "We'd be better off without you."

Sokka looked at him, hurt.

"But what will I tell her?" Zuko asked. "She won't believe me if I make excuses."

Sokka sighed. "Tell her I'm going to Whale Tail Island, like I had planned. Tell her I was too emotional to say good-bye. Tell her … I love her, and I hope you two will be happy."

Zuko nodded curtly. "I'll do it, for Katara's sake."

"Thank you."

Zuko didn't answer. He didn't say "You are welcome." Because, when people knew Sokka was a convict, he wasn't welcome – not even to his future son-in-law.

**Author's ****Note:** In the musical, Marius seems fairly understanding when Jean Valjean reveals that he is a convict; but in the book, Marius is much harsher toward him. I thought Zuko would be somewhere in between. If you have questions or comments, you can ask me in a review; but the next chapter should clear up some points.


	20. The Flame that Never Dies

_Published December 16, 2011_

**Author's ****Note:** I found a Website that has all the Shoujo Cosette episodes with English subtitles. I watched part of the last episode to get ideas for this chapter, and it gave me a new understanding of the symbolism of the candlesticks; and I took some dialogue from that episode for the second scene.

I've been making a couple minor changes to previous chapters – like mentioning Haru and Chit Sang in prison, having Zhao in Actor Sokka's jury, and mentioning the candlesticks more often – to add continuity to the story. I may continue to make small changes, even when this is over.

BTW, for all you Les Miz fans, I posted an ATLA songfic for "What Have I Done? (Valjean's Soliloquy)" unrelated to this story.

* * *

><p>Katara and Zuko had a small, beautiful wedding. Iroh officiated the ceremony. A few of Zuko's classmates from the University came. Sokka had provided enough money for food and a wedding kimono. The red fabric was supposed to symbolize love and joy; but the red, and the black trimming, reminded Zuko of the flag that had hung in the Freedom Fighters' café.<p>

Katara and Zuko tried to have a good time. They both felt truly happy when Iroh proclaimed them husband and wife. But throughout the day they both felt the absence of their friends, and now of Sokka, weighing heavily on them. Iroh was happy for Zuko, but he couldn't help thinking how he had hoped to officiate his son Lu Ten's wedding. Katara had taken it for granted that her father would give her away at her wedding; but Sokka was gone, and Katara tried to accept that he was never coming back.

Two people, a father and daughter, arrived late, just coming to the reception. They blended into the party, but after a bit they approached the bridge and groom directly.

Katara folded her arms. "What are you doing here?" she asked quietly. If she was scared, she did not show her fear.

"We wanted to pay our respects to the newlyweds," Azula said sweetly.

"Don't make me laugh," Zuko snapped. "Do you think we don't know who you are?"

"Oh, not very friendly," Azula commented. "I don't know what Mai saw in you."

Zuko's face grew stormy. "I was there for Mai when you weren't. She was more than you deserved for a friend. Where were you when she lay dying?"

"As a matter of fact, that's why we're here. Because of something I saw that night."

"What?"

Ozai scowled. "Just show him what you've come here to show."

Azula nodded toward Katara. "Your bride's father isn't all that he seems."

Katara clutched Zuko's arm, looking frightened for the first time. For a moment Zuko worried that Azula might know about what Kuzon had told him – that he was a convict. She would love to have a reason to blackmail them.

"Tell me what you know," Zuko demanded.

"It's going to cost you."

Zuko glanced at Katara, who nodded, before handing over the gold pieces. It was a small fraction of her dowry. Ozai pocketed the money gleefully.

"What really happened that night?" Zuko asked.

Azula answered. "I saw your Kuzon in the streets, carrying a dead body slung over his back."

"That's a lie!" Katara burst out.

"It's true. I even picked up a souvenir." With that Azula pulled a small item out of her pocket and held it out with a flourish.

Katara gasped. "My mother's necklace!"

Azula actually looked surprised. "Your – what –"

"You gave that to me," Zuko said to Katara, who took the necklace from Azula. "I had it with me on the barricade. I forgot about it afterwards." They looked at each other, realization slowly dawning on them.

Ozai spoke up. "Now, an honest citizen would report such a sighting to the Dai Li –"

"Since when are you _honest __citizens_?" Katara spat.

"You can't blackmail us. That 'body' was me." Zuko looked at them defiantly. "It was Kuzon who brought me to a healer. He was the one who saved me that night." He slapped his hand to his forehead. "I'm an idiot. I told him we'd be better off without him … I've got to apologize!"

Katara was confused. "You told me he left already …"

"Not yet. Come on!" Zuko took her hand in his. Iroh followed them as they rushed out of the hall.

"You lied to me?" Katara said, narrowing her eyes at her new husband.

"He asked me to."

"Why?"

Zuko wavered; then he said, "It's not my secret to reveal." Katara needed to hear it from Kuzon himself.

* * *

><p>Sokka was dying. It did not come as a surprise to him; he was old, and fighting on the barricade had taken its toll on him. It didn't matter now if he stayed or went away; he would be leaving soon either way.<p>

At midday he had settled comfortably in an armchair with a scroll, brushes, and ink. He spent the afternoon writing his will, leaving all his property to Katara and Zuko, with the hopes that they would be generous to the poor; and his last confession, explaining everything he had done in his life, and revealing Katara's history. The candles in the silver sticks melted and grew shorter and shorter as more of the story was put on paper and more of Sokka's life slipped away.

Finally he rolled up the scroll and set it on the table beside him. The candles were mere stubs of wax now, but their flames still flickered, providing a little light in the room. It was strangely peaceful – until three people barged into the room, out of breath and slightly panicked.

"Kuzon? You're here! Are you all right?" Katara rushed to his side. "Zuko said you'd gone away."

Sokka stared at her for a moment. "You're here." Katara looked beautiful in her red wedding gown. She was hardly recognizable as the ugly, miserable little girl he had rescued from the Fire Nation inn. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

"Kuzon?" Zuko approached cautiously. "It's you who must forgive me. I was thankless. If it weren't for you, I would have died on the barricade."

"We both owe you our lives," Katara said softly.

Sokka smiled weakly. "I'm just glad I got to see you on this day. I'll be going to the Spirit World soon."

"How do you know?" Katara demanded.

"I know because I know myself." He was able to say that now, that he knew who he was. He had explained it all in his final testament.

"Uncle." Zuko turned to Iroh. "Could you … do his last rites?"

"Of course." Iroh stepped into the light. "My name is Iroh. I'm Zuko's uncle, and I'm a Sage."

Sokka stared at the man in disbelief. For a moment he wondered if he was dreaming or delirious.

"Kuzon, what is it?" Katara was concerned.

"I know you!" Sokka exclaimed, startling Iroh. "I don't believe it!"

Iroh looked bewildered. Zuko and Katara were thoroughly confused.

"Think back," Sokka told Iroh. "Twenty years ago, you invited a beggar, an ex-convict, to stay with you. You gave him food and let him spend the night at your house. Then he tried to steal your porcelain teapot. When the police brought him to you, you covered for him, and gave him two silver candlesticks. You told him to use the money to turn his life around, to do good."

Iroh looked at him in awe. Sokka finished, "That man was me. Those are the candlesticks, over there."

"What's this about?" Katara asked.

Sokka sighed heavily. "Katara … you know I have secrets, though you don't know what they are. Zuko knows some of them. I never told you because I didn't want to upset you … and … it may have been selfish of me, but I didn't want you to be ashamed of me." He took a deep breath. "But it's time you heard the truth. My real name was Sokka of the Water Tribe. I was a convict – I went to jail for stealing a bag of rice, and stayed longer because I tried to escape. When I was freed, and Iroh helped me, I broke my parole. That's why I always tried to keep a low profile."

Katara merely looked at him, absorbing this news. Sokka glanced at Iroh, looking humble and embarrassed. "I never apologized … I'm sorry. I took advantage of your kindness, and I never thanked you for what you did for me. You didn't just satisfy my immediate needs; you enabled me to start my life over. I became a factory manager, I helped my employees, and I rescued Katara and raised her … you enabled me to find happiness despite all my suffering."

"I guess that's Karma," Zuko said, glancing at his uncle. "You helped him; and he helped me. The good you did came back to you."

Sokka looked sadly at Katara. "I'm sorry I lied to you."

"So I was right," Katara said softly. "There was a reason you didn't want to talk to strangers. You didn't want to risk exposure."

"My end would have been your end," Sokka stated. "I made you suffer loneliness. … But you gave me a reason to keep living. You made me happy for the first time in my life."

Katara bowed her head, smiling gratefully. "You did the same for me. You've always been protecting me. You've been a father and a brother to me. You're really a wonderful person. You helped so many people, and I saw that there are others who suffer, not just me. Whatever you've done in your past – you're still my family, and I'm grateful for what you've done for us."

Sokka held up the scroll he had been writing on. "Here, I wrote my last confession. It's … it's the story of everyone who loved you. Your mother …" Sokka trailed off.

Katara looked at him. "What about my mother?" she demanded.

"She loved you. She gave her life for you, and left you in my care."

Katara looked intently at Sokka. "There's more, isn't there? A reason why you haven't told me about her."

Sokka bit his lip. "I wanted you to be happy … but I owe you the truth." He took a deep breath, taking Katara's hand in his. "You were an illegitimate child."

Katara had clutched her necklace in her hand on the way to the house; now she pressed it against her chest, over her heart. "How did you know my mother?" she asked.

"She worked at the factory that you destroyed, back when I was the manager there. When she was sick and dying, she left you to my keeping. That's why I adopted you." She didn't need to hear the unpleasant details now; it was all in the scroll.

"Azula and Ozai came to the wedding," Katara said. Sokka said up straight, but Katara waved her hand indifferently. "They wanted trouble but didn't cause it. Anyway, it just reminded me … how afraid of them I used to be. But when you came, I felt like I didn't need to be afraid anymore. You gave me courage, for the first time in my life. And love, and a home, in the same way … I can never repay you for that."

"You already have, more than you know. But don't try to repay me; pay it back to the world." Sokka shared a meaningful look with Iroh.

The Fire Sage nodded. "Everyone is born equal. … But after they're born, people's lives can't be said to still be equal. Freedom is taken away. There is poverty and hardship. The four of us have all suffered pain and loss, in one way or another." Iroh looked over at the candles still flickering in the darkness. "But to change this society is simple. Everyone has to cherish others as they would cherish themselves." Iroh turned and spoke directly to Zuko and Katara. "You promised, barely an hour ago, to do this for each other. But you must extend this beyond the home as well."

"We will," Zuko vowed, taking Katara's hand in his.

Sokka spoke up. "Katara, Zuko, I want you to put new candles in the candlesticks."

"Of course." Katara rose and found some new candles in the cupboard. Zuko started to lift a finger to ignite them with firebending, but Katara stopped him, and instead held the new wicks up to the flames of the dying candles, passing on the light.

"Iroh gave me a great gift that night," Sokka said. "He gave me light, so I could see the way, and guide others along. I want you to have the candlesticks, and pass them on to your children, and their children – or give them to someone else who needs them."

"Sokka …" Katara felt her bottom lip tremble as she spoke his real name.

"I won't be going far. I'll always be with you."

"Sokka!" Katara and Zuko kneeled down on either side of Sokka.

The old man looked at them tenderly. "Katara … Zuko … promise me you'll be happy."

Katara's throat felt tight; tears stung her eyes. "I promise."

Sokka leaned back in his chair. Then he squinted up at the opposite wall. "Kya?"

A hush fell over the group.

"Katara's here," Sokka said quietly. "She's grown so much."

"Mother?" Katara whispered. "Mom? Are you here?"

For a moment, she could have sworn she felt the pendant in her hand pulsate; but maybe it was just her blood pulsing through her body.

"I love you all." Sokka closed his eyes. After a moment his head drooped to the side. He looked as though he had fallen asleep.

"Father?" Katara whispered, but she knew he wouldn't answer.

Sokka of the Water Tribe was dead, and with him died the convict 24601, the benevolent factory manager Lee, and the loving father and brother Kuzon.

"He held on until you were in safe hands," Iroh said softly. "So you wouldn't be alone."

Tears leaked from Katara's eyes. She buried her face in Sokka's robe. Zuko put his arm around her, and they cried together.

"He died peacefully, happy and united in love," Iroh said.

Katara sniffed and looked up at Sokka's body. "Good-bye, Kuzon."

Outside, the sun had set; but the candles still burned, with a flame that warmed their hearts and lit Sokka's way into the Spirit World.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's <strong>**Note:** Jean Valjean never sees the Bishop again; in fact he dies before Valjean adopts Cosette. But I thought it would be interesting to have Sokka and Iroh meet again.

It's not over yet! Not until the label says "Complete."


	21. Epilogue: When Tomorrow Comes

_Published December 30, 2011_

**Author's Note:** I had hoped to finish this story by the end of 2011, and I'm pleased to say that I achieved my goal.

Writing this only deepened and enriched my love for the story of _Les Misérables_. I was really pleased when reviewers said that now they want to read the book. By all means, go for it! Read the book, see the musical, watch the movie, look up the cartoon. If I've brought this story to a new audience, then it has been a successful journey.

My sincere thanks to everyone who reviewed this story: lostdisguise, HasleftFF2096, Sylviechic, Lilako, limegreenwordmachine, AzelmaandEponine, Bookworm181, TheStreetsOfParisEponine (whose poem title I referenced in this chapter), AnnaAza, ElodieKumari94, and SmileYou'reWICKED.

So, now that this story is ending, and a new year is about to begin, the question is: What next? I'm asking you, the reader. I have a few multi-chapter fics in progress. I have a poll on my profile, about which story I should start posting next. Please, cast your vote, let me know what kind of story you'd be interested in!

There is no epilogue or any scene like this in _Les Misérables_, but I had this idea, and I wanted to have something more at the end. I especially wanted to convey everything that is said and felt during the play's finale, when Jean Valjean dies; I couldn't fit all of it into Sokka's death scene.

Have a blessed new year!

* * *

><p>It was almost sunset when they reached the hill.<p>

It had been a year since the barricade rose and fell. A year since their friends died. A year of trying to find some sense of peace.

Sokka had left Katara and Zuko a fine sum of money, enough to live comfortably, with the request that they use as much of it as possible to help others. They gave most of their money to the poor and needy. But they had set aside a small amount to fund the building of a memorial. Their first thought had been to place it in the town square, the site of so much bloodshed. But it was still a busy center of urban life, and few people there had time to stop and read the names of dead people. So instead they chose a hill outside of the Upper Ring, under a solitary tree. It was a lonely, tranquil place, better suited for such a solemn marker.

"Are you all right?" Katara asked Zuko quietly as they climbed up the hill.

Zuko was silent for a moment before answering."I just wish Uncle could be here to see this," he said wistfully. Iroh had died six months after Zuko and Katara got married. He had been an old man anyway, but Lu Ten's death was very hard on him. But he had been grateful to be able to officiate Zuko's wedding. Zuko and Katara had cared for him and been with him until the very end.

Katara squeezed Zuko's hand. "He would have loved this."

They reached the top of the hill and kneeled down in front of the memorial. It was small and simple, and the closest thing that the fallen warriors would have to a grave. It listed the names of all those who had died on Barricade Day – the Freedom Fighters, the Water Tribe warriors, innocent civilians, even Fire Nation soldiers and Dai Li agents. It had been very controversial, whether to include members of both sides; but it was seen as a sort of compromise between the city officials and lower class citizens. Building a memorial for only the rebels would have been seen as treasonous. Instead, both sides acknowledged that the fight had been a tragedy, with casualties and suffering on both sides.

Katara placed the basket between the two of them, and together they took out the contents. Katara laid a sheet of paper before the stone memorial, and placed a few apples on top of it. Zuko extracted two sticks of incense, pinched the tips to light them, and set them in a clay holder on the paper.

Katara traced her fingers over the embossed characters. Avatar Aang, Toph Bei Fong … most of the Freedom Fighters had only their nicknames on the stone, as Zuko hadn't known what their real names were, and they had no relatives to represent them.

"They were so young," Katara said softly. "With so much hope."

On the left side were the names of the Dai Li and Fire Nation soldiers. Katara spotted a vaguely familiar name in this column. Long Feng. She and Zuko had both glimpsed him while he was alive; later they had learned more about him from Sokka's final testament, in which he outlined his long history with the law enforcer. It had been assumed that the Head of the Dai Li was killed in the violence on Barricade Day; no one had stepped forward to say otherwise.

In a way, Long Feng had caused most of Sokka and Katara's suffering, having to run from the law, live apart from others. And yet, Sokka had not condemned the man in his story.

"Maybe you really believed you were doing the right thing," Katara said grudgingly. "I suppose I can forgive you for anything you did indirectly to me; but it's harder to forgive the things you did to my mother, and to Sokka." She bowed her head, pursing her lips. "I guess … I don't blame you. I blame society and government. I blame you for being ignorant and misguided, but not evil. I hope your death is more peaceful and satisfactory than your life."

Zuko was silent, looking over the long list of names. His eyes lingered on one in particular.

Mai.

Zuko bowed his head and whispered, "I'm sorry." He hadn't gotten to apologize to Mai while she was alive. _I'll see you again_, Zuko promised. He loved Katara, but he would always have a special love for Mai.

Katara pressed her hand over the characters, and for a moment she imagined she was palm-to-palm with Mai, as though they were playing a hand-clap game the way they had as children. "You didn't die in vain," she said. "You saved Zuko. And now … there is a life about to start." Katara drew her hand away and placed it on her stomach. "If it weren't for you – if you hadn't saved Zuko – this wouldn't have happened. I'll always be indebted to you. You were a good friend, even if you didn't mean to be. Anyway … thank you."

The married couple sat on the hill for several long minutes, reflecting, meditating, remembering. The incense sticks burned slowly, glowing in the soft light.

"I guess we should go," Zuko said finally. Katara nodded. There was nothing more to do or say here. They had to move on.

They stood up together, and looked at the stone for a moment longer. "Good-bye, guys," Zuko said huskily.

Katara spoke up. "I've been thinking. If we have a daughter, I want to name her Kya. If we have a son, I think we should name him Sokka." That was the man's real name; and it would be too hard for her to call another person Kuzon. "People like them suffer every day, but no one builds a memorial for them. They're just forgotten – unless we love them and hold on to their memories." Katara took the last item out of the basket: a small bouquet of flowers - a panda lily, a moon lily, and a fire lily. She laid the bouquet on the paper beside the fruit and incense.

They turned and started to walk away, but then Zuko stopped, frowning.

"Do you hear that?" he asked.

"What –"

Zuko shushed her. "Listen."

There was music on the air. They could hear a lone drumbeat from somewhere far off.

"Do you hear the people sing?" Zuko whispered.

Standing on the hill, the twilight bathed the city in red and orange, giving it a surreal, almost transcendent feeling. The music of the city seemed to blend with the echo of a long-ago song. But there was another song, a whisper on the wind, a song of friends lost but not forgotten.

It was a haunting, brave, powerful song. It was the past marching forward to greet the future. It was a song of people trying to find their way in the world – searching for something better. But more than anything, it was a song of hope.

"We'll see them again," Zuko said with confidence. "Their suffering is over, and ours will be too. We'll set aside our weapons and live in freedom. We'll find our way home."

Katara smiled. "Come on." She took Zuko's hand in hers. "We still have work to do."


End file.
